The wine sector is responsible for 1.7% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the Valencian Community and generates a Gross Value Added of more than 1.885 million euros annually, of which 55% (1.040 million euros) correspond to direct contribution of the sector.
These are data from the study on The economic and social importance of the wine sector in the Valencian Community, presented at the headquarters of Agricultural and Food Cooperatives of the Community of Valencia, «and highlight the economic importance of the wine sector within the economy and employment of the Valencian Community», as stated by the president of the Interprofessional of Wine of Spain (OIVE), Angel Villafranca.
Together with Villafranca, they have presented this report. the director of OIVE, Susana García, and the director of Applied Economics of International Financial Analysts (AFI), Diego Vizcaíno, together with the general director of Rural Development of the Generalitat Valenciana, David Torres, the president of Agroalimentary Cooperatives of the Valencian Community, Cirilo Arnandis, and the director of Agrobank in the Valencian Community, Francisco Javier Arcis.
Employment and production
The president of OIVE stressed that viticulture contributes to generate 32,160 full-time jobs in the Valencian Community, 19,437 winegrowers, settled especially in the interior areas, which accounts for its importance as a fixer of the population to the territory.
The Valencian Community allocates 62,796 hectares to vine cultivation, and 35% of municipalities have vineyards, added Villafranca, «and its importance is more evident in populations with less than 30,000 inhabitants, whose population has increased by 16.2% in the last 20 years», well above the growth registered in municipalities where there is no vineyard.
In relation to wine production, it should be noted that in the region around 263,932 tons of grapes are produced annually for winemaking and more than two million hectolitres of wine (average 2015-2019). A production that also supports wine tourism activities, which help to spread the culture of wine and generate a flow of visitors close to 130,000 people annually.
In the region are located three Denominations of Origin (DO) own, two of them are located in the province of Valencia: the DO Valencia and the DO Utiel-Requena; and the other in the province of Alicante: DO Alicante. Likewise, the DO Cava is shared with other autonomous communities. In addition, there are the Protected Geographical Indication of Castellón and four Pago wines: Chozas Carrascal, El Terrerazo, Los Balagueses and Vera de Estenas.
SOURCE: EXPANSION.COM