Terrible frost damage in the vineyards

[NormanH]

A couple of people I know locally have been affected, but it will be a disaster for the crop almost everywhere: 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/09/french-winemakers-frost-government-freezing-temperatures-crops-vines

[anotherbanana]

Prices will go up, a few growers will go under. unless the government steps in with largesse. Guess what!

Wines from the New World will come in, hopefully.

Life will continue.

[Ken]

The government have already stepped in!!! The P.M. has said aid will be available immediately.

By that of course, he means the tax payer will cough up; again!!! Me cynical? perish the thought!

[Judith-aka-Judith]

In our village which is surrounded by vines, this is a big thing, the Prefect of the Dept visited on Friday .. already on the case.  It's not a rich area, and many of the vignerons merely scrape a living out of the wine they spend all year producing ...

[NormanH]

Well Judith you and I know the difficult reality of their lives.

[Gardengirl]

Where we are in France is also surrounded by vines and it’s worrying how some will survive this year - fruit trees have been at risk of course.

Our intake of wine here in the UK has gone up during Covid, almost all we buy are Languedoc wines, specifically from the Gard, so we’ve tried as hard as we can to ‘stay local’.

It’s of great concern to us how many local industries such as vineyards, organic fruit and vegetable growers etc will survive.

As soon as we feel that it’s safe to return, we’ll be back spending our money; not having visited last year at all as we were self-isolating, we’ve been worried by news from friends and neighbours.

Covid infections in the Gard continue to be high, but we’re hoping that by the time autumn comes round it will be safe to travel there.

[Judith-aka-Judith]

Indeed NormanH,

Maybe masked in larger towns, but quite evident anywhere around here .. it is the major "industry" all around here, and throughout most of the French rural regions too.

[alittlebitfrench]

My hairdresser (one man band in a rented place) has sold (since the start of covid) one (of two) of his hairdressers seats, his collection of antique hairdresser stuff that he used to hang on the walls.

His place looks very bare. It is just now one seat, a mirror and a pair of scissors.

He is still going...Just. Many are not.

The wine industry will survive.

But, Macron needs some votes. (Insert yellow winking thing).

[Gardian]

GG ......

It wasn’t so bad over our neck of the woods.

A lot worse further west.

[idun]

I don't know how things are in my old village.

Lots of Vin de Savoie grown all around and some fields are in the village. I hope that they were not hit by the frosts, but the truth is the vin de savoies are usually good quality and the viticulteurs I know, sell all they produce.

[Gardengirl]

Gardian, that’s good to know.

[NormanH]

https://www.ouest-france.fr/economie/agriculture/gel-des-vignes-quel-sera-l-impact-sur-la-production-de-vin-en-2021-2287fe72-9940-11eb-ba58-9c36148e3626?fbclid=IwAR0DyDQ_fbTTGkT5W77f1zULVU9T11GT-HdlB5S8I9leW_wj3sCcX0VV6Zk

[nomoss]

Some vineyards expect frost and are more prepared than others.

[url]https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gallery/2017/apr/28/winemakers-light-fires-to-fight-frost-in-pictures[/url]

Many of the Swan Valley vineyards in W Australia are on slopes, and there are permanent, large raised "beacons" filled with brushwood at the bottoms of the slopes, ready to light in case of frost.

The owners' families came mainly from Italy and Yugoslavia, so that is probably the system used in those countries.

[Ken]

On BFM this morning 'prices will rise'! Now there's a surprise!!! Is it the cynic in me or is it some sort of agricultural sleight of hand but in these situations prices go up but there in never a shortage, as is often claimed for being the reason for price increase!! At least none I have ever noticed.

[NormanH]

«la plus grande catastrophe agronomique de ce début de XXIe siècle», selon le ministre de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Julien Denormandie.

https://www.lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/la-vague-de-gel-est-probablement-la-plus-grande-catastrophe-agronomique-du-siecle-20210413

[alittlebitfrench]

FFS

People are losing their jobs left right and centre all over France.

France is a very polluting country.

Global warming is biting France right where it hurts.

Jeeeeesus.

Anyway, a few weeks back Macron told us to drink less.

Et Volia.

[Gardian]

I think that I may have undercalled the damage around here with what I said above.

Called in to the Cooperatve this afternoon for some stock. I asked Madame how they had been affected and she went in to a litany of “catastrophes” and “desastres”. She did say that it all depended on the particular parcelle of land and the grape variety. Apparently the Marseillan grape will bud again and produce fruit, albeit with a delay of several weeks.

She mentioned 60% damage / loss, but (reading between the lines) that’s probably worst case and probably not replicated throughout. My guess would be 30% overall, but nobody will know until the vendange.

[Ken]

Depending totally on your point of view regarding loss of earnings, livlihoods etc but I did wonder at the polluting aspect of attempting to 'keep warm' the vines when I saw the amount smoke generated by these attempts.

Now, on the news this morning, locals are complaining about the pollution and the scene taken in one area where these straw fires have been lit is worse than a London smog!!! I think that I wouldn't be too happy either with that level of pollution!

In the Pays Basque it is bad enough when they burn the scrub on an annual basis. The pollution is also incredible. Given the 'noise' Macron makes about the environment and pollution it all seems somewhat ridiculous to allow the burning, either at the vineyards or in the countryside.

[NormanH]

https://www.france.tv/france-5/c-dans-l-air/2373899-emission-du-mercredi-14-avril-2021.html

"C'est dans l'air" with another of its fascinating insights.