Call to halt growth of wine production

Press, 8 March 1982, Page 15

Call to halt growth of wine production

PA Blenheim New Zealand should halt its rapid increase of wine production, says a doctor specialising in alcohol problems. Dr Robert Crawford, the medical superintendent of the Queen Mary Hospital for alcoholic ' treatment at Hanmer Springs, said increased production would un ; doubtedly lead to increased consumption ' and further problems. Although jt was claimed that scheduled production increases were for the export markets, 94 per cent of the alcohol produced would be consumed in New Zealand, Dr Crawford told a Blenheim audience. Figures showed that coun-

tries with the highest consumption were also the top wine producers, he said. France, Italy, and Spain were the countries at the top. of the consumption ladder, and New Zealand would soon move up from its ranking of 13 if production trends were not curbed. “Within the last 20 years New Zealand’s alcohol consumption has doubled and at the same time alcohol-re-lated problems have also increased dramatically.” Dr Crawford criticised proposed legislation allowing the sale of wine in supermarkets. “There will be a serious threat to every family in the land if Parliament allows the sale of wine, or any alcohol, in supermarkets,” he said.