France Expected to be the Grape Harvest World Leader in 2004
Staff Writer - July 26, 2004
 The SCEES, or the French Institute of Statistics, estimates that French wine production in 2004 will be around 56.6 million hectoliters, marking a 19 percent increase compared to last year.
This gives France the world grape growing supremacy for the sixth consecutive year, with Italy as runner up with production estimated at 49 million hectoliters, or 11 percent increase compared to 2003.
According to ISMEA, after four years of leadership in worldwide volume exports, in 2003 Italy surrendered to France. On the other hand, thanks to the high value of Champagne wines, France has always had the lead over Italy for value. In fact, in 2003 France's exports were 5.8 million euros, compared to Italy's 2.7 million euros.
In the first three months of this year though, French world exports decreased by 5 percent in volume and 7 percent in value, while Italian worldwide wine exports increased 6 percent in volume.
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