The shortage of workers continues to be one of the main challenges facing Madeira’s grape producers.
In Estreito de Câmara de Lobos, 57-year-old João Figueira is preparing to harvest around 20,000 kilograms of grapes, but admits that finding people willing and available to do the work is becoming increasingly difficult.
“Labour is difficult it is very difficult to find people to work,” said the producer, who this year managed to assemble a team of around ten people. Among them are young people who are taking advantage of the school holidays before beginning university to earn some extra money.
With the team now in place, João Figueira believes that practically the entire crop can be harvested this week. Despite the shortage of workers, he remains positive about this year’s harvest.
“This year will be better than last year,” he said, describing the grapes as “beautiful” and in good condition, with no significant signs of disease. Last year, he harvested approximately 20,000 kilograms and hopes to achieve at least the same amount this year.
However, the difficulty in finding workers is compounded by rising production costs. João Figueira believes that grape growing is becoming increasingly unprofitable when producers must pay for all the work involved, while the financial support available remains insufficient.
The producer also believes that wineries should pay more for the grapes they purchase. Although he is satisfied with the buyer to whom he supplies his crop, he argues that better prices will be essential if wineries are to secure sufficient supplies in the future.
“They should pay a little more because, one day, they may not have any grapes. Without grapes, they will not have wine for their businesses,” he warned.
The future of the vineyard is another concern. João Figueira has worked among the vines since childhood, continuing the work begun by his father, but admits that he has nobody to take over the business.
Among those helping to address the labour shortage are 18-year-olds Nuno Mendonça and Luís Fernando. Nuno is taking part in a grape harvest for the first time, although he has been familiar with agricultural work since childhood through his grandfather. A friend invited him to join the team, and he saw it as an opportunity to earn some money during the holidays.
Luís Fernando, meanwhile, is participating in his fourth or fifth harvest. Agricultural work runs in his family, and he began helping his father on the farm at an early age.
The two young men are preparing to begin a Computer Engineering course at the University of Madeira. They expect to spend around two weeks working on the harvest, with days beginning at approximately 08:00 and ending at 18:00, with breaks for meals.
Despite the physical demands, Luís Fernando described the experience as positive and enjoyable, particularly when working alongside friends. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that it is unusual to see young people participating in the grape harvest and that many who try the work do not return. Nuno and Luís were joined by three other friends, most of whom have previously worked during the harvest.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
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