The “special plan for
the development of vineyard activities” was approved unanimously and
envisages the re-launching of vineyard and wine tourism. It has great importance
for the city, which as the mayor put it, “is a place with great patrimonial,
ethnographical, cultural and architectural value with especially protected
countryside”. Local councillor Agustin Munoz pointed out the support of the
wine and tourism sectors for this historic and novel project would act as an
umbrella for any public and private initiatives which will add value and reduce
time taken to implement them.
The Support Programme
for Spanish Viti-viniculture is to invest 2.3 million euros, paid for by
the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund, in the promotion of Sherry outside
Europe. The announcement came from Federico Fernandez, environment delegate of
the Junta, on his visit to Las Angustias Cooperative, where he met Salvador
Espinosa, its newly appointed president.
The money will be divided as follows: Aecovi Cooperative will
receive 694,518 euros, while the rest will be spent in the following countries:
USA, Canada, Mexico: 223,380 euros; Russia, Ukraine, Serbia: 141,168 euros;
China, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines: 108,018 euros.
While in Jerez, Fernandez took the opportunity to pay visits
to Williams & Humbert and Lustau, two companies to which the Junta de
Andalucia has given 120,000 euros in funds towards promotion in third
countries. He underlined the Junta’s commitment to the cooperative movement,
which will be a priority in 2014. He said that promotion will determine their
long term viability.
Salvador Espinosa reaffirmed what Fernandez said, how
important financial is to promote wine abroad, especially to such potentially
important markets as Asia, USA and Canada. He announced he was going to China
in March on a sales mission organised by the Business Confederation. He \said
it would be more difficult for the cooperatives than for the bodegas who have
recognised brands, but he would fight for market share.
He pointed out, however that it should never be forgotten
that the Cooperatives’ biggest market is the bodegas themselves, who buy the
musts, but who have enjoyed years of paying low prices. The growers must remain
profitable, an no growers, no Sherry. In reference to Jerez being European City
of Wine this year, he said that the cooperatives would be doing open doors
days, tastings, food and wine pairings and vineyard visits. “We have come a
long way, but there is still plenty to be done”.
