(Bloomberg) -- France's wine growers stand to lose as much as EU300 million ($335 million) in exports next year due to U.S. tariffs in a dispute about aircraft manufacturing, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said.
Every French wine region is set to suffer as bottles with prices tags between $15 and $35 will be hit by the tariffs, said Le Maire on Friday before meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer in Washington. Beaujolais Nouveau wine producers are worried they may even no longer be able to export to the U.S., Le Maire added.
“It's a shock for wine growers, and it is clear I will fight today in Washington to find a solution as fast as possible,” Le Maire told reporters on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund meetings in Washington. “I find it unfair and incomprehensible from our American friends.”
Even Eateries With $850-a-Bottle Vinegar Feel Bite of Trade Wars
France will likely feel the brunt of U.S. duties that took effect Friday on $7.5 billion of EU goods, ranging from planes to spirits. The EU has pledged tit-for-tat tariffs that Le Maire has said could be even more significant than the U.S. action.
Still, the French minister said it is possible to find a negotiated solution with the U.S., without having to enter complex trade talks. He said also he would also push for a suspension of the tariffs on French wines in particular.
To contact the reporter on this story: William Horobin in Paris at whorobin@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Fergal O'Brien at fobrien@bloomberg.net, Sarah McGregor, Robert Jameson
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