What rejoicing, but not too much: exports of French wines and spirits reached in 2015 the “historic” level of 11.7 billion euros but their place is getting étrécir against competitors more aggressive and less expensive.
“This good result should not obscure the steady deterioration of our market share,” says Christophe Navarre, President of the Federation of exporters (CFTS), which presented Wednesday 2015 performance .
the result, up 8.7% all the same – and equivalent to the sale of 126 Airbus – enables the sector to regain its second position behind export aerospace, lost last year. It relies mainly on champagne (+ 12% to 2.7 billion) and brandy (+ 20%), which alone account for two-thirds of the growth in value of shipments and a favorable exchange rate the decline of the euro (-16% on average over the year against the dollar).
the US market (+ 28%) again become the largest consumer in the world and the leading destination for French bottles in value (1.3 billion euros, 5th volume) supported this dynamism, with a return to the business of China (+ 23%) after two difficult years.
the anti-ostentation fight flanged cognac purchases and Bordeaux wines but this cure austerity was finally salutary allowing destocking
“the Chinese market is normalizing – the Chinese speak of + New normal +. we leave the exceptional products to enter a consumer market “, comprise less speculative, says Philippe Casteja, owner-merchant in Saint-Emilion speaking for Bordeaux.
The champagne, cognac, Bordeaux and Burgundy realize them four 67% of exports but only 28% of volumes. Or the endemic weakness of French production concerned professionals: for the third consecutive year, shipped quantities of wine (138 million cases, 3.6%) were down. Three years is not less than 16 million cases (1.4 million hectoliters) or the equivalent of 25% of exports of Bordeaux insists Mr. Navarre. Double trouble:. Rising prices resulting penalizes the competitiveness of French wines
– “Much has been increased, but less than others” –
Thus, for example that France has lost its first place in Japan at the expense of Chile, failing to present wines at reasonable prices (below 500 yen).
Place of wines (excluding champagne) continues to shrink: since 2000 the value of foreign sales rose from 12 to 26 billion euros, but their market share have shrunk 45 30%, insists Mr. Navarre. “We increase our sales, but lower than our competitors,” he tip claiming “more wines and more entry to resist Spain, Chile or Australia.”
A niche fulfill such wines from Pays d’Oc (19% of shipped volumes), up almost 7%. The grape varieties (Chardonnay etc ..), in particular progress in emerging markets. But the region has gone through two painful years (2013 and 2014) of small production. “17% of market share was lost to China because of wines we could not provide,” says Antoine Leccia, chairman of the AdVini trading house. “It is mostly on wines without GI – Geographical indication – we lose ground against the Italians or Spaniards.” This single production declined by 18% in 2015, “gold is on the wines we sell brand France”.
French wines are not competitive with Spaniards or competitors New world says he asking if we should not “go small quality productions to 50 hl / hectare that sells expensive, in productions of 150 hl / ha we export.” The transformation requires a change of viticultural practices, he says. “Foreign traders work on the subject,” he warns.
But this is not reform the European planting rights, which released potentially additional 8,000 ha of January 1, which will meet the immediate challenge, warns Nicolas Ozanam, general delegate of the Federation.
02/10/2016 6:03:05 p.m. – Paris (AFP) – AFP © 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment