The Minister of Agriculture, José Manuel Fernandes, warned today in Luxembourg of the probable end of European Union (EU) support for wine distillation, which in 2023 amounted to more than 18 million euros.
Speaking on the sidelines of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers, the minister said that last year “more than 18 million euros were earmarked for distillation” and that the indication he now has “is that the European Commission will almost certainly not use” this type of support again.
Assuring that he wants to help farmers, he said that he has outlined a strategy for finding new markets for wine exports, but that he will discuss the proposals with producers.
José Manuel Fernandes also said that, in the immediate future, the aim is for “everything that is produced to be sold”, but that there should be a return for the farmer.
The minister took part today in the meeting of his EU counterparts in Luxembourg.
