France Plans 130 Million Euro Vine Removal, Targeting 32,500 Hectares Amid Surging Applications

The French government is moving forward with a new vine removal plan for 2026, aiming to address ongoing challenges in the wine sector. The plan, which has been requested by the wine industry, was discussed in detail at a meeting of FranceAgriMer’s specialized wine council on January 14. While the final approval depends on the adoption of the national budget and ratification of the European “Paquet vin,” industry leaders are preparing for its implementation.

A budget of 130 million euros has been allocated for this initiative. The application window for vine removal requests will open once, no later than February 6, 2026. Jérôme Despey, president of the specialized wine council, said that if FranceAgriMer’s services are ready earlier, the process could begin before that date. The call for expressions of interest will remain open for one month and close by March 6, 2026.

The campaign is expected to start in March 2026, provided that both the European and French budgets are approved as planned in late February. Eligible winegrowers will receive financial support of 4,000 euros per hectare removed.

In preparation for the application period, Despey advises all interested winegrowers to update their vineyard registration (CVI) and obtain their Vitirestructuration number. Applications must be submitted through this platform. Those without a Vitirestructuration number should apply for one now, providing their Siret business identification number.

There are two options for vine removal under this plan: total or partial. Total and permanent removal will be prioritized. This option requires growers to give up their CVI number and cease all winegrowing activity on the affected land. In return, they will not be allowed to plant new vines on that land for ten years. To qualify, growers need a CVI number, harvest declarations from the past three years, and a Siret number.

Partial and temporary removal is also possible but comes with specific conditions: the vines must be over ten years old and cannot be Chardonnay, as this grape variety is currently in better market condition than others. In these cases, growers lose replanting rights for the parcels they remove.

If applications exceed the budgeted area of 32,500 hectares—corresponding to the available funds at 4,000 euros per hectare—a stabilizing coefficient will be applied to all applicants’ areas. This means each applicant may receive support for slightly less than their requested area if total demand surpasses available funding. According to Despey, if this happens, growers can still withdraw their application after learning how much area will be covered by aid. However, if they accept but do not complete at least 80 percent of the agreed removal, they will face penalties: loss of the grant and exclusion from restructuring aid for six years.

Recent surveys by FranceAgriMer indicate that intentions to remove vines currently stand at about 34,428 hectares across France’s main wine regions. The largest areas are in Languedoc (11,821 ha), Nouvelle-Aquitaine excluding Charentes (8,384 ha), Provence/Rhône Valley (5,701 ha), Sud-Ouest (3,958 ha), Val de Loire (1,213 ha), Charentes (963 ha), and Alsace/Burgundy/Beaujolais (413 ha).

This new plan follows previous vine removal programs in France. In 2024 alone, similar aid measures covered about 36,000 hectares. The current effort reflects ongoing adjustments in response to market pressures and changing consumption patterns affecting French wine producers.