Tridge summary
The Douro Valley's grape growers are facing a crisis due to a 13% drop in global Port sales, leading to a 22% reduction in the legal amount of must that can be used to make Port. This has resulted in low grape prices and an uncertain market for farmers. The growers have appealed to the Portuguese President for action, proposing changes such as the exclusive use of Douro-made aguardente for Port fortification and the establishment of two beneficios for Port and Douro DOC table wine. They are also calling for the scrapping of the regulatory body, the IVDP, and the implementation of the CVR regional commission system. The crisis is compounded by climate change, high labor costs, and the high cost of borrowing. The region needs to reevaluate its business model without hastily implementing measures. Despite these challenges, the region is preparing for a high-quality and bountiful harvest, potentially leading to vintage Port declarations.
Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.
Original content
Beleaguered growers in the Douro Valley are likely to leave grapes unpicked this year and may walk away from farming altogether as a “perfect storm” creates a crisis in the region, reports Richard Woodard. As global Port sales have dropped (down 13% by volume between 2021 and 2023), the beneficio – the amount of must that can legally be used to make Port – has declined by more than 22%, from 116,000 pipes (550-litre barrels) in 2022 to only 90,000 pipes this year. That is the lowest figure since 1993. A delegation of growers travelled to Lisbon in early September to call on Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to take action to remedy the situation – following protests in the region and a petition that has gathered hundreds of signatures. The growers presented a manifesto outlining their concerns, which include unsustainably low grape prices or having no market for their crop, and called on the government to resurrect the Casa do Douro as the region’s representative body ...
Source: Thedrinkbusiness
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