The cork sector in Portugal faces serious threats due to a lack of qualified workforce and the advance of renewable energies. The montado, a characteristic ecosystem of the south of the country where cork oaks grow, is losing ground significantly.
More than 35,000 cork oaks have already been felled with the justification of public utility, representing a considerable loss for the cork sector. These fellings are associated with the installation of renewable energy projects, such as solar panels and wind turbines, which require large areas of land.
The lack of qualified workers in the sector also constitutes a growing challenge, affecting the capacity of production and transformation of cork. This shortage of workforce worsens in a context in which demand for cork has increased, particularly in the market of corks for beverages.
The article alerts to the negative impact that these combined trends may have on Portuguese cork production, which is historically one of the main export products of the country and a traditional economic activity of several regions of the interior of the Alentejo.
