Port hit heavily by hail storms

This year’s port crop has been hit by a heavy hailstorm. Initially, it was thought that up to 80 per cent of the crop in the Douro’s vineyards had been decimated, but top port producers have said that losses are now less than predicted. More than 1,700 hectares of crop in 17 districts in northern Portugal have been destroyed, according to the Portugese Agriculture Ministry. But Taylor’s Port managing director Adrian Bridge said in a statement that, ‘The likely loss of production to the whole region will be between 10 per cent and 20 per cent as a direct result of the storm.’ Affected growers are calling for government help and compensation.