The French Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday that it expected the country’s wine production to reach 53.6m hectolitres this year, a rise of 3% on 2002.
 
Production of quality wines is expected to reach 23.4m hectolitres. Production of local wines is expected at 15.1m hectolitres, wines suited for production of cognac, at 9.1m hectolitres, and other types of wine, juice and musts, at 6.0m hectolitres.