Producers from the Douro region gathered at 09:30 near the Régua station, holding banners with slogans such as “We created the heritage,” “Douro winegrowers demand equal treatment as TAP and BES,” “Inspect musts and wines from outside the region,” and “Douro wines only with Douro grapes.”
Some wore black shirts, and others carried sprayers used in vineyard treatments on their backs.
“We want to loudly voice the concerns of the grape growers and their main demands, particularly those aimed at structurally resolving the crisis in the Demarcated Region of Douro, notably the prohibition of purchasing grapes below production costs,” stated Vítor Rodrigues, leader of the National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA), to the Lusa agency.
The farmers, according to Rodrigues, “also reject new cuts in the benefit,” referring to the quantity of must each producer can allocate to Port wine production.
“Each cut in the benefit is another blow to the farmers’ income,” Vítor Rodrigues emphasized.
In 2024, the benefit was 90,000 pipes (each holding 550 liters), compared to 104,000 in 2023. The trade, within the interprofessional council of the Institute of Douro and Port Wines (IVDP), proposed a reduction to 68,000 pipes for this year.
For the CNA leader, who organized the protest, “fundamentally, what’s at stake here is the viability and the future of this region, for which the work of small and medium winegrowers is essential.”
In his view, the “outlook for the next harvest is even bleaker.”
The Douro region is facing a third consecutive harvest with difficulties in selling grapes or selling them at low prices, with some already receiving letters canceling grape orders for this year.
To address the crisis, producers advocate for measures such as fair distribution and prices for grapes, the prohibition of buying grapes below production costs, priority for regional brandy in Port wine production, increased inspection of musts and wines from outside the region, state purchase of surplus stocks from cooperative wineries, and granting the Casa do Douro “legal and operational” capacity to stabilize stocks.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Sea assured today that it is preparing structural solutions to “ensure the economic, social, and environmental sustainability” of the Demarcated Region of Douro, which will be directed “mainly at small producers.”
“It’s already a positive sign that he states measures will be taken for the region because, until today, we’ve had deafening silence from him in response to the requests that CNA has made to address this and other issues. Now we’ll see if these measures are indeed what we need, and we’ll only find out when they’re announced,” Vítor Rodrigues highlighted.
The demonstrators proceeded to march along the street where the headquarters of Casa do Douro and IVDP are located, concluding the protest at Doctor João Araújo Correia roundabout.
