The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry announced today that the new ordinance regarding the application of the VITIS programme in the Azores is already in force, thus complying with the amendments defined by the Commission and the European Parliament on support programmes in the wine sector.
 
"The allocation exceeds 3.5 million Euros and we expect that will cover an additional 120 hectares of vineyard production," said João Ponte. According to him, "it is another opportunity that entrepreneurs and farmers will have to invest in this area, which has registered an exponential growth."
 
João Ponte spoke in Horta at the end of a meeting with the President of the Regional Wine Commission (CVR) of the Azores, Vasco Paulos.
 
The main changes concern the implementation of a warning system, the financial allocation for applications and the introduction of selection criteria to be applied in the awarding of priority status to applications.
 
The investment maintenance period will increase from five to seven years.
 
This support scheme aims to increase the competitiveness of wine producers through the restructuring of vineyards and improve the quality of wine, as evidenced by the regional wines distinguished with several prizes.
 
"The Azores wine has increasingly gained projection and quality as a result of the work and innovation capacity of our wine producers and the efforts of the Regional Wine Commission," said João Ponte.
 
The CVR-Açores was established as private association on August 22, 1995 and is headquartered in Madalena, Pico Island. It is made up of representatives of representatives of wine production and trade sectors in the Region and a representative of the Regional Government.
 
CVR-Açores is in charge of controlling the production, trade and certification of wine products entitled to bear the designation of DO (Denomination of Origin) and GI (Geographical Indication). It aims to ensure the authenticity and quality of wines, the promotion and control of wine, the definition of its production process as well as the internal and external defence of certified wines.
 
João Ponte stressed that "the Region has done a remarkable job in recent years in improving the quality of wine and production processes," whereas "consolidating the presence of the Azores wine in foreign markets is the major challenge of the present."
 
"In order to pursue this level of development in the Azorean wine sector and increase exports, we will rely on the essential contribution of CVR-Azores to continue asserting Azorean wine as a product of excellence at national and international level," said the Secretary for Agriculture.
 
Through the Community programme designated as VITIS, we have managed to recover 560 hectares of vineyards over the last two years, representing an investment of about 15 million Euros, covering more than 300 wine producers.
 
"We estimate that we will have 800 hectares of vineyards in production by the end of 2018, when a few years ago there were only 100 hectares," the Regional Secretary stressed, adding that "this significant growth is also reflected in wine production."
 
In this regard, he stated that "CVR registered 250 thousand litres of certified wine only last year and estimates indicate that we will reach one million litres."
 
Of all islands of the archipelago suited for wine production, Pico is the one that has stood out in the emergence of projects applying to this support measures.
 
"There is a huge potential for the Azores as we have quality wines that can be easily placed in national and international markets", says João Ponte.
 
"The Government of the Azores is quite pleased with the current situation and this also falls within our agricultural diversification policies. What is taking place on the island of Pico is a good example. We must continue this effort towards the modernisation and conversion of vineyards because it is a huge potential for the economy," said the Regional Secretary.