They had not been seen demonstrating since 1998: Cognac winegrowers are mobilizing on September 17. They are worried about the new tax that China wants to impose on Cognac, in response to the tax imposed by the European Union on Chinese electric cars. The Asian power wants to tax Charente spirits at a rate of 35%. This is news that professionals in the sector fear, because the country is one of the first to which Cognac is exported.
Several convoys are planned for this Tuesday, September 17, and will leave early, at 7:00 a.m. from Pons, Matha, Jonzac or Segonzac. They will converge on Gensac-la-Pallue, where the UGVC, General Union of Winegrowers for the AOC Cognac, is located. The convoy will leave again at 9:30 a.m. to then go to the Cognac sub-prefecture, with an arrival on site scheduled for 12:00 p.m.
An entire sector mobilized
The demonstration is likely to be large-scale, because in the Deux-Charente, the sector provides 70,000 jobs. Beyond winegrowers, there are also coopers, glassmakers, boilermakers, transporters and all the related trades that allow Cognac to be sold all over the world. And all of them fear being strongly affected by this new Chinese tax.
Deteriorated conditions
This tax adds to the already complicated picture for the sector, as explained by this winegrower from Mainxe, who will be present in the convoy tomorrow: “oWe sell less while producing more than before“. In particular, inflation and the decline in purchasing power of the French. “In my vineyard, we are going to take radical measures. One of our four employees who is leaving next year will not be replaced.“To this must be added harvests which risk being a little less good than last year. The situation leaves the farmer in despair: “If we lose our biggest customer, China, we can forget about AOC.”
Related News :