Resources and Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino yesterday announced new regulations regarding Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOK) and Typical Geographic Indication (IGT) labelling, and changes in the payment of subsidies on grapes sold at the open air fruit and vegetable market (pitkalija) in Ta’ Qali.
As from wine production year 2009, subsidies for grapes that make it to the fruit and vegetable market will no longer be granted, Mr Pullicino said when he visited the Cortis family during a grape-picking session at their vineyard yesterday morning.
Farmers cultivating grapes of wine making varieties as well as table-consumed varieties will continue to receive additional financial assistance of e81.53 per tumulo of land.
“This measure was being taken to ensure a level playing field between grape cultivators while serving as an incentive for those cultivating wine-making varieties,” Mr Pullicino explained. He added that such a measure would protect the grape market to keep more stable prices.
Minister Pullicino also announced that pictorials referring to places or landmarks in Malta and Gozo may only be used on DOK and IGT labels of locally produced wine. An amendment to Legal Notice 190 of 2006 regarding the issue will come into practice as from production year 2009 to regularise the issue and to ensure that the consumer is not deceived.
Meanwhile Mr Pullicino referred to IGT wines which were imported from Italy and Spain but bottled in Malta. The labels of such bottles were making use of a series of indications and stamps of local places and characteristics thus deceiving the public that the product was local.
“Such a measure should protect consumers as well as local wine producers while ensuring that local quality products make it to our tables,” Mr Pullicino said.
He reminded the public that success in the local viticulture sector was due to heavy investment from the government, farmers as well as wine producers. “To date, 43 local wines have received DOK certification while 13 wines have received an IGT certification,” Mr Pullicino said.
Meanwhile, e5,823,433.50 (Lm 2.5 million) from EU funds were allocated towards the Maltese farming industry for the period between 2001 and 2014. Such funds went towards the planting of new vines as well as additional funds for the cultivation of wine making grapes and table-consumed grapes.
“The success of such schemes is being reflected in the amount of land used for vine cultivation which has increased from around 340 hectares in 2001 to around 950 hectares today,” Mr Pullicino pointed out.
Randall Caruana, Principle Scientific Officer at the Viticultre and Enology Unit who was also present at the vineyard yesterday, said that in the near future, wine bottles of IGT and DOC quality will be sealed with a banderol in order to assure quality.
“The changes that will come into practice should ensure growth to the local viticulture sector and ensure that quality vines continue to be cultivated,” said Viticulture Society President, Stephen Galea.