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In the Occitanie region of southern France, more and more vineyards are being abandoned and left to their own devices. The region, which was created in 2016 from a merger of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées, comprises over 300,000 hectares of vines. At a press conference held last week, the Association for Land Use and Rural Establishment in Occitania (Safer Occitanie) spoke of 91,000 hectares that are currently neglected. The lack of cultivation is also leading to major problems with fungal diseases, which are now spreading unchecked.
The future of these areas must now be discussed. Safer Occitanie warns against clearing the land too quickly and calls for caution when installing photovoltaic systems. Instead, those responsible are in favour of improving agricultural income in order to prevent the vineyards from being cleared. For many winegrowers, viticulture simply no longer covers their costs.
The situation on the wine market is complicated and they are struggling with a considerable loss in value. Investments are hardly possible. Large wineries are also trying to defend their market share. The president of Safer Occitanie, Dominique Granier, is therefore calling for a new agricultural concept to promote generational change. In future, "only sustainable farmers who work economically, ecologically and socially will be supported... And this requires resources," said Granier.
(ru / Vitisphere)