“It is necessary that the measures we demand are taken, especially those of a structural nature, to resolve the crisis in the region, such as banning the purchase of grapes below production costs,” stated Vítor Rodrigues, leader of the CNA, speaking to journalists.
A delegation of around 60 producers from the Douro region gathered today outside the Assembly of the Republic while a delegation from the CNA delivered a motion at the Palácio de São Bento.
“We were received not by the Prime Minister but by two advisors to whom we had the opportunity to communicate our demands,” said the leader.
The leader of the Confederation also emphasized that if the regional production is “primarily used in the production of brandy, which is then used in Port wine, the problem of distribution is solved in the region.”
However, “wines from outside the region continue to enter,” he added.
During the gathering, the Secretary-General of the PCP, Paulo Raimundo, told journalists that much of the problem could be resolved by “raising product prices, paying more for the product [to the producers], which is an issue that has been affected for years.”
The PCP leader also noted that the major Port wine houses continue to concentrate “not only the wine but also the wealth, at the expense of small owners.”
Also present at the gathering, Livre party deputy Jorge Pinto stated that “the brandy used for Port wine should be made exclusively from grapes produced in that region.”
The deputy further argued that it is necessary to “prevent the importation of brandy from other parts of Portugal or abroad.”
On a different note, Chega deputy Pedro Frazão mentioned that the “Casa do Douro is not very functional, does not have the budget to operate with dignity and efficiency to protect the Douro winemakers.”
PS deputy Rui Santos, former mayor of Vila Real, asserted the need for the creation of a credit line for these producers, arguing that “foreign brandy imports should cease, as well as imports of wines from Spain that are later sold as regional wines.”
