The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry highlighted today the work towards the recovery of vineyards and the production of wines of excellence in the Azores, a sector with great potential for growth on several islands.
 
"There has been a great deal of work towards the recovery of vineyards on Graciosa Island. It has a great potential to continue growing in terms of area on this island as well as on the islands of Pico, Terceira, Faial and São Miguel due to the implementation of the VITIS programme," said João Ponte.
 
"The work of producers in the Azores is remarkable, evidencing a great sense of responsibility. It has allowed the Region to produce wines of excellence whose high quality is recognised by experts and highly appreciated by consumers," added the Secretary for Agriculture. The government official spoke at the end of a visit to the vineyards owned by a Graciosa wine producer, who has applied for the Support Scheme for the Conversion and Restructuring of Vineyards.
 
On the second day of the statutory visit to Graciosa, João Ponte pointed out that Azorean wines have been highly appreciated in recent years because of the investment in the sector and the involvement of oenologists of reference. This has contributed to the improvement of producers' income as well as to the future sustainability of this activity.
 
The Regional Secretary pointed out that the Government has provided a series of tools that have proved to be fundamental to the development of this sector, namely POSEI, which has allocated very significant funds for the maintenance of vineyards.
 
"This aid has been growing year after year due to the increase of applications. The proposal submitted to the partners of the sector last week provides for a very significant increase in funding," the government official said, adding that producing vineyards in "currais" (small stone enclosures) incurs very significant costs.
 
Without a budget increase, "there would be a considerable apportionment of aid and a group of about 60 producers with vineyards certified with Geographical Identification (GI) designation would not receive any amount," as the budget limit for 2017 was exceeded, stated João Ponte.
 
The resolution granting additional regional support, up to 255 thousand Euros, for the maintenance of vineyards owned by producers applied for POSEI in 2017 will be discussed today at the meeting of the Council of the Government to take place on Graciosa Island.
 
Furthermore, the Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry announced the payment of about 1.2 million Euros to one hundred projects under the VITIS programme in the first half of 2018.
 
"These figures evidence the great dynamics in this sector, which will allow us to have larger areas of production, increased production and better income for producers in the future," said João Ponte. In the last three years, the Government "supported 17 producers on Graciosa Island, covering a total area of 11.45 hectares."