French wine production should rise by 20% in 2004, according to statistics from the French Ministry of Agriculture.
Good weather conditions in May and June meant flowering progressed very well, the Service Central des Enquêtes et Études Statistiques (SCEES) of the ministry said in its August report.
2004 output should rise by around 20% to 57m hectolitres, compared to 47.5m hl last year.
A higher figure is given by ONIVIN (Office National Interprofessionel des Vins), which calculates a harvest of 57.9m hl.
The quality of the harvest still depends on weather conditions – notably rainfall – in the crucial second fortnight of August, SCEES adds.
Written by Agencies