Resolutions entered parliament after July 2, the day when small and medium producers gathered in Régua to raise awareness about difficulties in grape distribution and low selling prices.
Proposals from six political parties were approved today and will be discussed in the Agriculture and Fisheries committee with the aim of drafting a common document.
The PS party urged the Government to establish a financial support line for small and medium farmers of the Douro Demarcated Region (RDD), citing a wine industry crisis characterized by excessive wine stocks, a significant reduction in the benefit for Port wine production, and the inability to sell viticulture products over the past two years, leading to income losses and, in severe cases, abandoning of grapes.
The Socialist proposal was approved with an abstention from Iniciativa Liberal (IL).
The PCP proposed urgent measures for providing support to Douro winemakers, such as setting minimum indicative prices, maintaining the benefit, and limiting bulk wine imports.
The benefit, which refers to the quantity of must that producers can allocate to Port wine production, was 90,000 barrels (550 liters each) in 2024 and 104,000 in 2023. For this year, the trade proposed a reduction to 68,000 barrels at the Interprofessional Council of the Douro and Port Wine Institute (IVDP).
The PCP’s proposal was approved with votes against from Chega and IL.
Chega suggested the implementation of an immediate credit line with subsidized interest for cooperatives and companies transforming grapes in the Douro, along with advancing the distillation of surplus wine in the region and utilizing this spirit for Port wine production.
This resolution was approved with abstentions from IL, PS, PAN, Livre, PCP, and BE.
PAN advocated for a working group to assess and define measures promoting respect and transparency in labeling and certification in the viticulture sector, a program for acquiring and distributing surplus grapes in public cafeterias and other relevant locations, and an action plan for the sector’s adaptation to climate change effects.
This resolution was approved with votes against from Chega, IL, PCP, and abstention from the PS.
IL called for the creation of a voluntary reorganization program for RDD wine production, allowing for vineyard removal with reallocation of rights to other plots, offering a possibility of overlap and setting a global removal limit.
The liberal’s proposal was approved with abstentions from PAN, JPP, Livre, and BE, and votes against from PS and PCP.
CDS-PP requested the Government present a plan to promote and enhance Portuguese wine, particularly those produced in RDD, establish a new financial support line for winemakers, and strengthen labeling inspections.
The proposal was approved with abstentions from IL, PAN, and PCP.
On Wednesday, a PSD resolution entered parliament, proposing the Government urgently adopt a comprehensive action plan to promote production enhancement and balance in the RDD viticulture sector.
Among the proposed measures is the urgent implementation of support funded by the State Budget up to 15 million euros, providing direct aid to RDD winemakers with support of at least 50 cents per kilo of grapes delivered for distillation.
