2006 port crop destroyed???
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Makers of port wine ride out storms - [AP on June 19, 2006]
URL: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/06/19/ ... s/port.php
Makers of port wine ride out storms
The Associated Press
Published: June 19, 2006
LISBON Leading makers of port wine said Monday that losses from the hailstorms that hit vineyards in northern Portugal last week had been less than initially thought.
Severe storms destroyed more than 1,700 hectares, or 4,200 acres, of the port wine crop in 17 districts in northern Portugal, the Agriculture Ministry said late Friday.
However, the top port producers said Monday that the damage had not been as extensive as had been feared.
"The storm that hit on Wednesday night did do extensive damage to some areas, but the reports of 80 percent are exaggerated," Adrian Bridge, managing director of Taylor's Port, said in a statement.
"The likely loss of production to the whole region will be between 10 to 20 percent as a direct result of the storm," he said.
Port wine is produced in only northern Portugal, in three regions in the Douro valley - Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior - from vines that cover more than 250,000 hectares, or about 620,000 acres, which is 15.4 percent of the region's land.
Taylor's Port, one of the largest producers alongside Symington, Sogrape and Gran Cruz, said it had lost the crop from about 750,000 vines out of 1.2 million.
"However, the vines will put out secondary shoots, which will mean that we will get some crop," Bridge said, though he added that quality could be affected because the "risk of disease is very high" for the plants.
"We had just done treatments and our technical advisory service had just told our farmer suppliers to treat their vines," Bridge said.
The national Agriculture Ministry has said that affected farmers would be supplied with free sprayable calcium, which helps to heal vines and prepare them for next year's crops.
Paul Symington, joint managing director of Symington Family Estates, said, "It is likely and to be hoped that the actual damage is not as widespread as initially reported, although some have undoubtedly been hit hard."
At Symington's Quinta da Cavadinha and the adjoining vineyards of Alvito and Netas in the Pinhão valley, the hail is estimated to have damaged about 20 percent of the young green bunches on the vines.
Symington expressed concern about the farmers in the region.
"Our deepest concern is for those Douro farmers who have lost all or part of their crop on which they depend for their annual income."
The government said it would consider compensation after total damages were assessed this week.
Portugal sold 93.6 million liters, or 24.7 million gallons, of port wine in 2005, officials said.
Sales last year were €405 million, or $510 million.
Makers of port wine ride out storms
The Associated Press
Published: June 19, 2006
LISBON Leading makers of port wine said Monday that losses from the hailstorms that hit vineyards in northern Portugal last week had been less than initially thought.
Severe storms destroyed more than 1,700 hectares, or 4,200 acres, of the port wine crop in 17 districts in northern Portugal, the Agriculture Ministry said late Friday.
However, the top port producers said Monday that the damage had not been as extensive as had been feared.
"The storm that hit on Wednesday night did do extensive damage to some areas, but the reports of 80 percent are exaggerated," Adrian Bridge, managing director of Taylor's Port, said in a statement.
"The likely loss of production to the whole region will be between 10 to 20 percent as a direct result of the storm," he said.
Port wine is produced in only northern Portugal, in three regions in the Douro valley - Baixo Corgo, Cima Corgo and Douro Superior - from vines that cover more than 250,000 hectares, or about 620,000 acres, which is 15.4 percent of the region's land.
Taylor's Port, one of the largest producers alongside Symington, Sogrape and Gran Cruz, said it had lost the crop from about 750,000 vines out of 1.2 million.
"However, the vines will put out secondary shoots, which will mean that we will get some crop," Bridge said, though he added that quality could be affected because the "risk of disease is very high" for the plants.
"We had just done treatments and our technical advisory service had just told our farmer suppliers to treat their vines," Bridge said.
The national Agriculture Ministry has said that affected farmers would be supplied with free sprayable calcium, which helps to heal vines and prepare them for next year's crops.
Paul Symington, joint managing director of Symington Family Estates, said, "It is likely and to be hoped that the actual damage is not as widespread as initially reported, although some have undoubtedly been hit hard."
At Symington's Quinta da Cavadinha and the adjoining vineyards of Alvito and Netas in the Pinhão valley, the hail is estimated to have damaged about 20 percent of the young green bunches on the vines.
Symington expressed concern about the farmers in the region.
"Our deepest concern is for those Douro farmers who have lost all or part of their crop on which they depend for their annual income."
The government said it would consider compensation after total damages were assessed this week.
Portugal sold 93.6 million liters, or 24.7 million gallons, of port wine in 2005, officials said.
Sales last year were €405 million, or $510 million.