Increase in Production Support for Tinta Negra and Boal Grape Varieties in Madeira

The Regional Government has approved the fifth amendment to the support regime for Madeira's wine production, with a special focus on strengthening incentives for two key grape varieties. Ordinance No. 519/2026, dated September 10, amends Ordinance No. 463/2016, which establishes the rules for the aid under Measure 2 (Wine Sector) of the POSEI programme.

The most significant change concerns the substantial increase in the unit support per tonne for two varieties:

• Tinta Negra: The main variety in the regional grape composition, which has been experiencing a trend of decreasing vineyard area. The increase in support aims to mitigate this trend, in light of sectoral difficulties such as ageing, labour shortages, and rising production costs.
• Malvasia Fina (synonym Boal): One of the noble varieties for the production of Madeira Wine, but which has traditionally received one of the lowest levels of support. The increase aims to make the activity more attractive and preserve planting areas, which face strong competition from other crops.

With this amendment, the support value for these two varieties rises to 255 euros per tonne. The ordinance also introduces other technical updates, such as the repeal of obsolete definitions, alignment with new EU legislation (such as post-2022 CAP Regulations), and the explicit introduction of an article on conditionality, which subjects beneficiaries to penalties for non-compliance with environmental, management, and social rules.

The decree enters into force the day after its publication and takes effect regarding applications for the year 2026.