After rare freezing temperatures destroyed many vines and fruit crops across France, the frost damage to vineyards this month is likely to reduce wine production by nearly a third compared with recent years.
The losses were projected at some 15 million hectolitres and would put the European nation on course for 2021 wine output between 28% and 32% below average volumes of recent years.
The worst-hit wine regions included Burgundy, Languedoc and Aquitaine. Meanwhile, the French government pledged around 1 billion euros in aid for agriculture.