In August, and according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), now released, there was “an increase in exports of 8.3% in value and 8.2% in volume”, as mentioned in the statement issued by the Ministry of Agriculture.
“In the accumulated result for the year, there was a 2.3% increase in value (January to August) and 3.4% in volume, compared to the same period in the previous year”, says the same statement.
“As for the main markets, in August, we saw a recovery in sales to France and Brazil, with variations of +22.4% in value and +16.8% in volume, in the first case, and +67.2% in value and +41.2% in volume, in the case of Brazil”, it can also be read in the same statement.
Comparing the variation since the beginning of the year with the same period of 2019, we highlight the growth of sales to the USA (+9.7% in value and +16.9% in volume), United Kingdom (+11.2 % in value and +21.7% in volume) and Brazil (+14.3% in value and +16% in volume), with variations in volume greater than two digits”, as indicated by the INE statistical data.
Despite the recovery in August, the French market (-5.1% in value and -5.3% in volume) and the German market (-0.3% in value and -17.6% in volume) continue to show declines, compared to the first eight months of last year.
The Ministry of Agriculture also highlights the opportunity found by Portuguese operators in the Nordic markets – Sweden, Norway and Finland -, where growth rates of over 40% are registered in the months of January to August this year, both in value and in volume.
For the Minister of Agriculture, Maria do Céu Antunes, “these figures demonstrate the resumption of growth in recent years, despite the drop in sales and orders at the beginning of the containment period, and are a consequence of the work of adapting operators to the new reality and the effective and efficient support of public policies for the sector”.
The Minister recently announced the 100% execution of the financial envelope foreseen in the National Plan to Support the Wine Sector for fiscal year 2020, which ended on October 15.
Also highlights the growth in values related to the measures for the external promotion of Portuguese wine, “with payments to beneficiary companies over 11 million euros, the highest investment amount paid in the last three years”, she assures.
It should also be remembered that the provision of the last notice for the Support Scheme for Restructuring and Conversion of the Vine (VITIS), for the 20/21 campaign, was increased by 23.5 million euros, from 50 to 73,5 million euros.