Peso da Regua, Vila Real, Portugal, July 18, 2025 (Lusa) - The Douro Demarcated Region in northern Portugal will transform a total of 75,000 barrels of grape must into Port wine this harvest, 15,000 less than last year, the region’s interprofessional council decided on Friday.

The benefit (i.e. the amount of must that each producer can use for the production of Port) of 75,000 barrels (550 litres each) of must for the production of Port wine was the main result of the harvest statement approved today by the interprofessional council of the Douro and Port Wine Institute (IVDP), which met in Peso da Régua, in the region of Vila Real. Last year, the quantity was set at 90,000 barrels.

“This meeting resulted in a unanimous decision on the quantity of must to be allocated for the 2025 harvest, which was approved at 75,000 barrels,” said IVDP president Gilberto Igrejas.

For him, this figure represents, above all, “a sign of responsibility for the region".

“I believe that the conscious decision taken by the councillors was the right one, certainly taking into account the current global demand for wine,” said Gilberto Igrejas.

In addition to the president of the IVDP, who represents the State, the interprofessional council is composed of two vice-presidents and representatives of production and trade distributed across the two specialised sections (Porto and Douro).

“We started from very different positions, with production at 90,000 and us at 68,000, but I think it was good for the region that we managed to reach a unanimous decision that clearly demonstrates that we are united in our purpose of trying to reverse the difficult situation that the Douro region is currently experiencing,” said the vice-president appointed by the trade, António Filipe.

He explained that, in the case of trade, this figure is based on “the purchase intentions expressed by members and the need they felt to sell off the stocks of Port wine still in production from previous years".

“It is a figure that we consider reasonable, above all it is a figure that has been agreed between the professions and which is also the result of a joint effort by producers and traders to find solutions for the region,” he stressed.

On the production side, Celeste Marques, who is also president of the regional council of winegrowers of Casa do Douro, spoke.

“It was the best figure possible. We had a lot of negotiations, a lot of debate, many requests for solidarity, many indications that it is not only sustainability that is at stake, but also the survival of some winegrowers,” said the official, who added that the deal was “a little unyielding”.

Celeste Marques added that “a commitment was also made to purchase the barrels that were still in stock from last year,” i.e., the 8,500 barrels that are still in production from last year.

“And also the commitment of a working group to study regional brandy to be incorporated into Port wine,” she added.

In recent weeks, winegrowers have been calling for the previous year’s benefit of 90,000 barrels to be maintained.

Asked about the reaction to these measures, Celeste Marques assured that “all the work that has been done has been with the producers and their survival in mind”.

Each barrel of Port wine can correspond to an average of €1,000, which this year could amount to €75 million.

Last year, the IVDP interprofessional association set the benefit at 90,000 barrels (550 litres each), 14,000 less than in 2023 (104,000 barrels).

At today’s meeting, there was also talk of the measures contained in the Ministry of Agriculture and Sea’s action plan for the Douro, such as grapes for distilling, which is supported by both professions: production and trade.

“What we have are direct aid measures for winegrowers. So we are talking about aid, in principle, of around 50 cents per kilogramme,” said Gilberto Igrejas, referring to the measure that provides for the delivery of surplus grapes for distillation.

This year there could still be a drop in the harvest in the region of around 20%.

“We are talking about a harvest that will be poorer. And so the whole scenario has been built around this harvest,” added Gilberto Igrejas.

PLI/AYLS // AYLS

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