Douro viticulturists protest grape surplus and economic crisis

Viticulturists in Portugal's Douro region are facing a severe economic crisis characterized by a lack of buyers for grapes and rising production costs. To protest the situation, some producers have symbolically dumped grapes in front of the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto (IVDP) to demand urgent government intervention.

Many farmers report significant uncertainty regarding the sale of their harvest. While some have secured sales for the amount of must permitted for Port wine production (the ‘benefício’), they struggle to find buyers or acceptable prices for their remaining DOC Douro grapes. Some companies are reportedly refusing to purchase even the regulated quantities.

Producers highlight that high costs for labor, machinery, and pesticides, compounded by recent hail damage, are making small and medium-sized vineyards unsustainable. Some farmers have expressed that the situation is so dire they are considering abandoning their vines. In response to the crisis, the Portuguese parliament recently approved a recommendation to create a ‘grape for distillation 2026’ measure to help value surplus production.