The 15th edition of the Luxembourg Viticulture Day, organised by the Luxembourg Winegrowers' Federation and the Institut viti-vinicole (IVV), took place on Wednesday 1 February 2023 at the Centre culturel in Wormeldingen in the presence of Claude Haagen, Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development.
The Viticulture Day is considered an important event and information exchange for winegrowers. In addition to a review of the 2022 wine year, this year's conference included discussions with international scientists and experts on the investment subsidies and regulations provided for in the new agricultural law, viticultural management under climate change, the results of the "VinoManAOP" research project and other current topics in viticulture.
In his speech, Claude Haagen highlighted the exciting exchange of experience and knowledge at the Luxembourg Viticulture Day. The family wineries of the Luxembourg Moselle are unique and the political objective is to maintain them, said Claude Haagen. He also reminded the winegrowers of the importance of young talent in the wine industry and highlighted the many training opportunities available in neighbouring countries, with which cooperation is extremely positive.
With regard to the new funding period (2023 to 2027), Minister Haagen also emphasised the importance of LEADER projects, such as "Interprofessioun viticole" (Interprofessional viticulture), which the Ministry supports in order to strengthen cross-border strategies and cooperation. In this area, it is particularly important to promote the commitment of each individual "bottom up" in order to stand out as a modern example for other countries.
The Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development continued to focus on important issues for the future, such as the reduced use of phytosanitary products, which Luxembourg's wine growers have been implementing for years. Claude Haagen underlined the importance of a constant exchange to prepare for new guidelines, diseases and climatic conditions, as well as the research carried out by the LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology), the IVV (Institut viti-vinicole) and the ASTA (Administration des services techniques de l'agriculture).
Weather extremes are increasingly dominating events in the wine industry. The 2022 wine year has shown that the problem of drought has long since become the rule in viticulture, even in the northern regions. Saving water through infrastructure such as reservoirs and making it available in the summer is a high priority, says Claude Haagen.
Press release by the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development