Sogrape Vinhos SA
SV
To be the Iberian reference of quality wines, of family tradition, focused on developing relevant brands for consumers in priority markets.
ID: 566077714587-83
Lobbying Activity
Response to Farm to Fork Strategy
16 Mar 2020
Sogrape is the premier family owned wine grower, producer and business in Portugal, and participates in CEEV - Comite Vins through its national member ACIBEV - Portuguese Wine & Spirit Association
The wine sector produces high quality products and as the wine production cannot be relocated it plays a fundamental role in the preservation of rural areas and the achievement of environmental goals. One of the main challenges the wine sector had to face is the sustainability of its supply chain from an economic, social and environmental point of view.
While the wine sector is already highly involved in the improvement of the sustainability and the traceability of wine products from vineyard to consumer, the farm-to-fork approach is particularly important in helping wine operators to accelerate the transition into more sustainable system and to respond to the growing demand of consumers for product’s safety and better information.
1. Identification of relevant issues : In order to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of the wine sector, the Farm to Fork Strategy should consider and focus on the following main issue:
a. Resilience of the wine sector to the impact of climate change.
b. Sustainable use of pesticides and fertilizers in vineyards
c. Communication to consumers to allow them to make sustainable decisions
2. Challenges encountered : The implementation of a sustainable production and consumption system in the wine sector will only be possible
if the following challenges are considered:
a. Strong scientific evidence is used a fundamental basis for policy recommendations
b. The triple-bottom-line of sustainability is taken into account – economic, social and environmental.
c. Production systems to be developed and promoted are flexible enough to be adapted to the different
realities of the EU wine sector
d. Consumers are provided with relevant information
3. Main gaps and areas of work
To fill the main gaps for a complete implementation of a successful Farm to Fork Strategy, it will be necessary to:
a. Support research in the following fields:
- Adaptation of the producing practices to ensure the maintenance of a sustainable production,its quality and, where appropriate, the terroir of the wines.
- Improvement of plant protection and the reduction of the use of plant protection products to decrease environmental and social impacts
- Knowledge and use of all the grapevine genetic resources thanks to conservation, exploitation and improvement of the genetic diversity between and within its varieties by focusing value generation while stopping genetic erosion.
b. Better understand the efficiency and limitation of the information that would be shared with consumers. Develop new ways to provide information to consumers, including the use of digital tools.
- Digital provision of information has the potential to communicate more efficiently and in a personalized way information to consumers but also reduce packaging waste and shipping costs.
- This approach should also ensure that all operators (micro, SME or large) are able to use and benefit from digital technologies. We seize this occasion to inform the European Commission that we are cooperating with CEEV who is working on the development of the digital platform for e-labels in order to provide consumers with accurate information in the most efficient way.
- Principles for the communication of information through digital tools shall be established
Finally, and as a base line for the efficient development and implementation of the Farm to Fork Strategy, the UE will need to:
a. Strengthen of the coherence and governance coordination of all EU policies with potential impact on
the food chain.
b. Continued dialogue with all stakeholders to ensure the feasibility and adaptability of future measures.
c. Secure the principle that policy recommendations at the EU level shall be strongly based on science
Read full responseMeeting with Cristina Rueda Catry (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)
16 Nov 2015 · Labelling, future of the wine sector