Tenerife Allocates €1.5 Million to Aid Winegrowers Facing Phylloxera and Drought

Tenerife's government is setting aside 1.5 million euros in next year's budget to help farmers dealing with phylloxera and drought. This money will go to winegrowers across the island's six Denominations of Origin (DOs). The amount each grower receives will depend on how much wine they produced from the 2024 harvest. The funds are meant to support efforts to prevent, control, inspect, and get rid of the phylloxera pest that affects grapevines.

Yesterday, during a meeting of the Insular Wine Board, the island's Vice President, Lope Afonso, and the Councilor for the Primary Sector, Valentín González, outlined the steps the government will take to support winemaking in Tenerife. Afonso noted that the drop in this year's harvest has prompted the creation of a "Comprehensive Strategic Plan for the Wine Sector." He explained that this plan will provide a "medium and long-term roadmap to strengthen the sector's competitiveness and sustainability."

Government officials met with everyone involved in Tenerife's wine industry at the Wine Board. They discussed plans to protect the island's vineyards, which the Primary Sector department considers a top priority. They stressed their commitment to working "with technical rigor, responsibility, and in collaboration with farmers."

They reminded everyone that as soon as the phylloxera aphid was found on the island – currently the only place in the Canary Islands affected – they declared the fight against it a matter of "public utility." They quickly put in place urgent measures to control and eradicate the pest and stop it from spreading.

This financial aid not only helps farmers but also protects the quality of Tenerife's wines, which are known internationally. It also helps preserve "one of the traditions that shapes our identity as a society: viticulture."

Valentín González shared that winegrowers are worried about the lower grape harvest this year. The Strategic Plan includes ways to find new markets and improve how wine is sold and marketed, including using digital tools. The government will also invest in healthier grapevines and increase funding for innovation through Cultesa. Additionally, they will ensure that farmers have access to enough good-quality irrigation water.