|
|
The European Commission predicts a historically low harvest for the 2017 vintage. According to the estimates of the General Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Development, the expected volume of wine for this year in the EU member states is 145.1 million hectolitres, 14.4 percent below the figure for the previous year. French media report the lowest level since 1945.
According to the EU Commission, the three largest wine producers Italy, France and Spain in particular have suffered major losses. The causes were severe damage to many vineyards, mainly due to frost in the spring, hail and thunderstorms as well as severe heat and drought in the summer. For example, the harvest in Italy fell by 21 percent to 40 million hectoliters, in France by 18 percent to 37.2 million hectoliters and in Spain by 15 percent to 36.8 million hectoliters. In Germany, according to EU figures, the estimated volume of wine is 12 per cent lower than in the previous year at just under eight million hectolitres.
According to the statistics, smaller EU wine countries, on the other hand, can record a higher harvest volume than in 2016, for example Romania by 61 percent, Austria by 23 percent, Cyprus by 22 percent and Portugal by ten percent.
The final figures for the 2017 wine volume will be available in March 2018.