Organic wine production in France  - a fast increase

Jacques ROUSSEAU, CIVAM BIO LR-AIVB LR
Mas de Saporta 34970 LATTES tél : 33- (0)4 6792 25 02 fax : 33- (0)4 6706 5575
email : aivblr@wanadoo.fr

Introduction

Organic wine production is an old tradition in France. Pioneers started over 30 years ago. Production met a steady increase during the late ‘80ies and the ‘90ies, and is facing now a fast increase.

1. Certified areas increased over 30 % in 1998

Since the creation of « Observatoire Nationale de l’Agriculture Biologique » in 1996 (National Observatory for Organic Farming), very acurate datas , given by certification bodies, are available on certified organic production in France.Organic wines are produced in all french vineyards (table 1). Main production areas are in 1998 Languedoc-Roussillon, Provence and Aquitaine (Bordeaux). Total french production concerns 7550 ha in 1998 (including ist year conversions

Table 1 : Organic wine production in France.

2. Motivations for this increase

2.1. Ecological concern for wine growers

There is a greatest concern for ecological practices in french vineyards. An increasing number of winegrowers are turning from chemical fertilizers to compost, getting rid of chemical weeding because they are worried by lack of soil biological activity and by its consequences which can sometimes be important : soil erosion, or biological retrogradation of soil in worse cases (calcium concretion with bacterian origin tend to destroy vines deepest roots). Choice for non chemical weeding and fertilizing methods is often made in order to improve both soil fertility and wine quality.
Complete conversion to organic farming is then merely the next step forwards.

2.2. Unsatisfyied market

Consumer’s demand for organic wines increased fast during the last three years.
The market for organic wines is mainly an export market for french wines. 70 % are exported, first towards Germany, then towards northern european countries. Northern american and japanese markets are also rising fast (fig 1).

A recent survey amongst supermarkets quoted that there is a real demand for organic wines in France, and that the major limit to its satisfaction is the lack of production and the deficit in its organization.

Potential market for organic wines is an estimated 100 million bottles for both french and export market, that is 3 to 4 times current production.

Figure 1 : Marketing of Languedoc-Roussillon organic wines in 1998 (from AIVB)

2.3. National development program

French government launched late 1997 a National program in order to increase organic farming. This program contained different axis (research, tecnical support for farmers, promotion) and proposed subsides for farmers involved into conversion to organic farming, according to EEC 2078/92 regulation. These subsides are quite incentive for vineyards.

3. Main problems met by organic winegrowers

Development of organic wine production is meeting 2 sorts of problems.

3.1. Tecnical problems

Organic farming can quite easily be implemented in vineyards. The main consequences for winegrowers concern soil cultivation (generally on the basis of winter green manure), which imply more work, and a good skill.
Yield, grape quality and vine sanitary statement are satisfactory, and very close to regional standards.

Still, there are 2 major problems which are the impact of copper on soils and a grapevine yellow : « flavescence dorée ».

3.1.1. Copper use

Copper salts are the only efficient fungicides authorized against downy mildiou (peronospora) in organic farming. It is very efficient, but is slowly accumulated in soils, which can thus loose their fertility.

For these reasons, organic winegrowers try to reduce as much as possible copper use :

• reduction of applications to the strict necessary (using the same methods as integrated management)
• reduction of fungicides concentration at each application : most wine growers apply less than 50 % of homologated copper doses in France (i.e. less than 1500 g/ha of copper instead of 3000 g/ha copper).

ITAB (Technical Institute for Organic Farming) and CTIVV (Technical Research Center for Viticulture) has led numeous experimentation on this topic since 1992. The conclusionsof this large research program are :

• there is no «ecological » nor « natural » alternative to copper with a sufficient efficiency in case of strong mildew attack ;
• a 50 % reduction of copper doses is possible (compared to homologation doses) with the same efficiency as full doses ; but very low copper doses (less than 500 g/ha copper) do not have a sufficient efficiency, even with additional substances such as needle extracts.

EEC regulation has fixed in 2002 the limit date till which unrestricted used of copper will be authorized in organic farming. Organic wine growers are fearing that after 2002, EEC regulation will set up too strict limitations of copper (some countries proposing a maximum of 3 kg/ha /year of copper). Such limitations would make it very difficult to grow vine in good sanitary conditions in organic farming.

3.1.2. « Flavescence dorée »

This phytoplasmic disease is spread by a leafhopper, Scaphoideus titanus . It spread quickly in the french vineyard since the eaely ‘80ies, and is now present in Languedoc, in South western vineyards, in Bordeaux, in Corsica.

In the area where it is present, the only control method available is to root up the sick stocks, and to destroy the leafhopper with insecticides.

Insecticides authorized in organic farming, such as rotenone, pyrethrum, azadirachtine, have a limited efficiency. They can give satisfactory results in prevention stage (before the apparition of the disease), but they cannot prevent the extension of the disease once it started.

Furthermore, the use of these insecticides create problems on a legal point of view. The fight against flavescence dorée is made compulsory for all winegrowers by a specific sanitary regulation, which establishes an exhaustive list for authorized insecticides. None of them are authorized in organic farming, and the use of natural insecticides is only authorized under experimental conditions.

CIVAM BIO LR has realized lots of experimentation on this subject, together with INRA (National Institute for Research in Agronomy) :

• interest of myco insecticides against the leafhopper is currently under investigation at INRA-URLB. Marketed specialities have little interest, but some fungi could be interesting. It needs a long lasting program to make this point out ; and we are facing problems on its financement.
• A large survey of beneficial arthropods in mediterranean vineyards showed that none is able to achieve biological control on S. titanus. An INRA entomologist will start a survey in the USA (where the leafhopper comes from) in order to selcet some natural parasites for this leafhopper.

But there is an urgent need for further research on this subject.

3.2. Regulation problems

Wine is not defined as an organic product by EEC regulation 2092/91, as far as winemaking methods are not specified.

This creates many problems for market development and promotion of organic wines :

• the use of the term « organic wine » is forbidden ; the only authorized reference is « wine issue of organic grapes »
• this terms are only authorized on VQPRD and on table wines with geographic specificity (Vin de pays) ; it is forbidden on table wines and on products issued from them such as vinegar ;
• the use of logo AB (created by the french government in order to identify organic products) is forbidden.

As long as organic wines will not be defined, it will be very difficult to organize promotion for the consumers.

This is possible if :

• specifications for wine making are included in the annexes of EEC regulation 2092/91 on organic farming ;
• EEC regulation on wine labelling is changed.

Organic wine growers have written propositions on these points, and made several request towards the government since 1997.

4. Organic wine organization in France

A specific organization for wine growers was created in 1998 : FNIVB, National Federation for Organic Wine. It gathers all organic wine growers and distributors.

Its creation was mainly motivated by the urge of an evolution of the regulation for organic wines. Its aims are more generally :

• the promotion of organic wines
• improving the knowledge on the market
• protection of the terms « organic wine »
• development of the production

Concerning research, a special convention was established in 1998 between ITAB and CTIVV, which will realize more research on organic viticulture.

Tecnical support for organic wine growers, which was till recently achieved mainly by organic growers associations, is today realized by the chambres d’agriculture (Agricultural boards).

Conclusion

Organic wine production is facing in 1999 a major change in France with a fast increase in production. Due to the National Development program of Organic Farming, there is today a larger involvement of official research and tecnical centers.