The Portuguese Farmers' Federation (CAP) considered that the support announced by the Government for the wine sector in the Douro, worth 12 million euros, should be extended to the remaining producing regions of the country. In a statement, the CAP's Secretary-General, Luís Mira, stated that solidarity with the Douro is unequivocal, but that he does not accept that this translates into forgetting the producers of the other wine-producing regions.
The confederation points to a set of problems common to all producing regions, including declining consumption, export contraction, stock accumulation, rising production costs, and treasury difficulties. CAP also warns about the pressure caused by the entry of bulk Spanish wine into the Portuguese market, which frequently arrives without proper inspection and at prices with which national producers cannot compete, causing losses of tens of millions of euros per year.
The organization advocates for reinforced inspection, traceability, and control over imported wine, as well as clear information about the origin of products. CAP also argues that the Spanish sector benefits from production factor support more than 30 times higher than that granted to Portuguese farmers, worsening the competitiveness differential between the two countries.
For the confederation, the Government's response should not be limited to ad hoc measures for the Douro, and should include structural measures that are cross-cutting for the entire sector and all production areas. The organization also calls for a significant increase in funds for the promotion of Portuguese wines in international markets. The National Association of Wine Designations of Origin (ANDOVI) also argued that the crisis requires a national, coordinated, and structural response that is not limited to support for the Douro.
