Spanish wine sales fall – crisis support for 50 M€ proposed

Export of Spanish wines fell with 13.5% in 2009, measured in value. In volume it fell with “only” 9.7%. In other words, not only are people drinking less and less of it, but they are also paying lower prices. Worst hit are the sparkling wines, which fell with 30%. This morose situation has led to several organisations suggesting to the agricultural minister that a program of crisis distillation should be started, in other words, that the wines that don’t find a buyer should instead be distilled and the producer thus paid by the government. (Wouldn’t it be nice to have that system also in other industries than agriculture – if you can’t sell your products the government steps in and pays for it.) The agricultural organisation Asja has not been positive to the idea though, since it is estimated to cost some € 50 million. Read more www.ansamed.info