LESS WINE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: EU COMMISSION PREDICTS 2005/2006 GRAPE HARVEST WILL FALL BY AN AVERAGE 3%

According to an EU Commission report published on February 2nd the European Union will harvest less grapes this year and produce 12% less wine in respect to 2004/2005.

Predicted total EU wine production is 172.8 million hectoliters for 2005/2006, an average of 3% less volume than was registered in the 25 member union over the past five years. The areas that are expected have the largest decrease are France, Italy, and Spain, the three main wine producers of the EU. But even wine producers of lesser importance, like Germany, Portugal, and Hungary, are expected to register less. France should produce 53.3 million hectoliters, down by 9% in respect to 2004/2005, while Italy, in second place for volume production, will produce 52.6 million hectoliters, a 4% decrease. Production in Spain is expected to fall by 21%, reaching only 39.3 million hectoliters.

But forecasts are not entirely negative. Smaller producers are, on the other hand, expected to register an increase in production next year: Slovenia and the Czech Republic are expected to increase by 21% and 6% respectively.

The Commission plans to publish a proposal for reforms on EU’s wine policies, which were last modified in 1999. The European Union is the most important wine exporter and importer in the world.