The weather is wreaking havoc on the vineyards according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food following the meeting of the Wine Sector Board this Wednesday.
According to the data provided by the ministry and the board, the availability of wine for this 2023/2024 campaign is 67.3 million hectoliters, to which the 36.5 million from the previous one are added, becoming the lowest figure in the last six campaigns. The total vineyard area as of July 31 is 928,108 hectares, 1% less than in 2022.
This fact contrasts with the previous 2022/2023 season, which stood out for the striking revaluation of 6% more of the vineyards compared to the last five seasons.
During the event, the general director of Agricultural Production and Markets, Esperanza Orellana, informed that a real decree is being processed that authorizes the softening of regulations applicable to the sector to mitigate the adverse climatic effects suffered last spring.
The regulations allow the validity of vineyard authorizations that expire this year to be extended by 12 months from the original expiration date and opens the possibility for holders to renounce them without being penalized.
Regarding compliance with the Spanish Wine Sector Assistance Program (PASVE), the flexibility provided in this campaign allows winegrowers a margin to be able to meet the requirements and obligations of the program.
These flexibilities, apart from the crisis measures previously implemented by the ministry in the harvest such as green harvest and crisis distillation. These have reduced tension in some wine-producing regions, achieving a high level of stocks.
Orellana has also announced that the PASVE comes to an end with this exercise and from this year, it will be named as Wine Sector Intervention (ISV), an initiative included in the CAP Strategic Plan. Despite the difference, he stressed that its design has been made in order to facilitate a smooth transition between both programs for beneficiaries.
The general director has reported on the status of the REDES TECO - Viña project, promoted by the ministry to obtain a tool for technical analysis of the farms, within the recognized and experienced agribusiness technique, which defines the same ones that are typical, in which the development, the unconditional participation of the sector is necessary.
