Champagne fights to keep pickers healthy for the harvest

THE coronavirus has robbed France’s champagne industry of its sparkle as demand has slumped, and health authorities are now struggling to prevent a new outbreak of Covid-19 among migrant grape pickers.

The arrival of 100,000 seasonal workers, half of them from Eastern Europe, has raised fears of a new outbreak in the Champagne region of northeastern France. The area has so far been largely spared from France’s spike in infections.

Champagne growers say social distancing is impossible and the authorities are trying to forestall a surge in cases by offering pickers free tests at temporary centres.

Several outbreaks have begun on farms in the South of France employing migrant fruit pickers, and the testing campaign in Champagne is targeted mainly at detecting infections among foreign seasonal workers.

Sandrine Dehec, of the Reims teaching hospital, said: “The problem is, the migrant workers aren’t coming to get tested because they know they’ll lose their jobs if they test positive.”

For a few weeks’ work in France, pickers from Eastern Europe earn the equivalent of several months’ pay in their home countries.

Despite the promise of an excellent vintage this year, the grape harvest will be the smallest in 35 years.

Growers and champagne makers have agreed to cut production by 22 per cent because global demand has withered, with weddings and celebrations cancelled or limited in numbers.

Each year, growers agree to sell only a fixed amount of grapes per acre to maintain prices and quality, and control supply of the luxury wine.