To respond to the concerns of wine growers, the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau announced this Wednesday that the government would put on the table an additional 80 million euros to support “all wine regions which are in crisis”.
In the midst of an agricultural crisis, this aid “will make it possible for some to cover loan interest for the year 2024” but also other hazards “such as mildew”, the minister specified on Sud Radio.
This vine disease has affected many wine-growing departments this year and is not covered by insurance.
Also read https://twitter.com/SudRadio/status/1752598378297405545
grubbing-up premium
To react to the drop in wine consumption - it has fallen by 70% in 60 years, a "structural" problem according to the minister - Marc Fesneau also announced "a grubbing-up bonus of 150 million euros" for wine growers.
The latter will be able to use this aid to uproot their vines temporarily to “restructure” their farms or uproot them permanently with the aim of “agricultural diversification”, that is to say by choosing to reuse their land to cultivate a other product.
NEWS ALERT: @MFesneau announces “a grubbing-up bonus of 150 million euros” for wine growers pic.twitter.com/9odofEz8KM
— Sud Radio (@SudRadio) January 31, 2024
“This concerns up to 100,000 ha of vines.
I remind you that there are around 700,000 ha of vines in France so it is absolutely massive,” the Minister of Agriculture said on the radio.
This grubbing premium of 150 million euros must still be approved by Brussels, said the minister.