“I had some pamphlets made where I appeal for a null vote because the Demarcated Region of Douro is in deep crisis and politicians have no solution,” stated Manuel Covas, vice-president of the Association Lutar Pelo Douro.
He recalled that “the Casa do Douro was restored, a board was elected in December 2024, and it took office on January 27 of this year.” Despite being part of the Regional Council, he noted that “there is little or nothing to convey to small and medium winegrowers, who are the ones struggling the most.”
“I am also a small winegrower and I know how much agriculture costs me. I am selling grapes below cost. I often say that we are working for nothing,” said Manuel Covas.
Located in Ervedosa do Douro, the “parish with the highest production authorization” in the region, within the municipality of São João da Pesqueira, Viseu district, Covas stated he is distributing pamphlets “in all parishes” of the municipality to more members.
“We see no hope anywhere. I closely follow all these situations, because I am part of the Regional Council of the Casa do Douro, and no solution is in sight for these harvests,” he lamented, noting that they begin “in four months.”
Manuel Covas warned that “there are no measures for people to be satisfied,” and noted “total discontent,” with one of the main demands being that “the subsidy reaches the winegrower directly and not through other means,” such as crisis distillation.
“I continue to say that people will vote, as it is a civic duty, but they should vote null, blank, or in any way that renders the vote invalid. If there are many null or blank votes, it’s a sign that something is wrong, that people are upset,” he emphasized.
More than 150 winegrowers in the Douro have received letters canceling their grape orders for this year, causing fear and indignation, with some considering a boycott of Sunday’s legislative elections.
“The catastrophe we predicted last year is beginning, which was close to the harvest when grape-buying houses said they did not want to buy grapes. This year, it’s April, and the scenario is already grim,” mentioned Marinete Alves, a member of the Regional Council of the Casa do Douro, on April 17.
Alves, who is the president of the Association Lutar Pelo Douro and initiator of the 2024 petition “Save the Douro Winegrowers,” which garnered 2,600 signatures, said winegrowers were considering protesting in front of the Government.
“And, at this moment, with the legislative elections at our doorstep, showing our dissatisfaction by boycotting the elections,” she said, even considering “avoiding the opening of polling stations,” a scenario that was later dismissed.
The National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) and its affiliate Avadouriense – Association of Winegrowers and Family Farming of the Douro convened a plenary of Douro winegrowers for June 1 in Peso da Régua, it was announced today.
On May 2, the Casa do Douro demanded “fundamental” measures to tackle the viticulture crisis, which include the incorporation of regional brandy in Port wine, crisis distillation, green harvest, and the suspension of VITIS.
The president of the Casa do Douro, Rui Paredes, also urged political parties running in the legislative elections to pay special attention to the Interior and viticulture, demanding a concrete stance on the wine sector crisis.
