Célia Pessegueiro, from PS-Madeira, highlighted the challenges faced by small winegrowers on the island after visiting the Grape Harvest Festival in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. Reports of vineyard abandonment were heard, including a case of a producer who stopped delivering grapes.
Reasons cited include labor shortages and insufficient income from the Tinta Negra grape variety to cover annual maintenance costs. Bureaucracy is also an obstacle, hindering access to support for smaller producers.
Pessegueiro advocates for increased incentives for Madeira Wine production, arguing that the beverage's importance to the region's identity and promotion warrants greater support. She also suggests greater involvement from wine houses, through advance purchase of production and technical support, to provide security for winegrowers and share risks.
