Chapter III: The Export of Wines

Diminution in Quantity—Exports of cheap wines in the last five years—Export to England—Comparison of two quinquennial periods—Loss on the second—The 1899 duties—“Reduction of the English duties on wines in return for the abolition of the surtaxes on extra European goods imported from a European country.

Since the reconstruction of the French vineyards export has been at a standstill.

Here is the export of vin ordinaire for the last five years:—

The quantity is not great relatively to our total production, but when its value is looked at it is worth considering.

£3,400,000 must be added for champagne, and between £3,200,000 and £3,600,000 for liqueurs. Our average export of vin ordinaire for the last five years has been £5,120,000; both as to amount and value a downward tendency is apparent.

Taking our export of wine to England for the last two periods of five years, we find:—

There is thus an annual difference of £740,000, amounting to £3,692,000 over the five years. Such a falling off cannot be regarded with equanimity, the less so that England is still our best customer.

Many different explanations for the downward tendency might be discovered; there is one, however, obvious and indisputable, if not the sole cause.

In 1900, to meet the expenses of the Transvaal War, the taxes on wines were raised in the following manner:—

Since the imposition of these duties the export of French wine to England has diminished; it is therefore logical to conclude that were the duties suppressed the consumption of wines would rise to its old level or above it. Consequently all wine-growers should support my programme: “The reduction of English duties on wines in return for the abolition of surtaxes on extra European goods imported from a European country, and of the surtaxes on goods of European origin imported from a country other than that of origin.”