Spain's Wine Industry Faces Urgent Need for Younger Workers to Sustain Growth
Spain's wine industry, valued at €22.4bn and accounting for about 2% of the nation's jobs and 1.6% of GDP, is facing a critical challenge as it seeks to recruit 22,600 younger workers in the coming years to replace retiring growers.
Currently, 38.9% of wine-growers are aged 51-65, 35% are over 65, 16.9% are 41-50, and only 9.3% are under 40. Industry leaders warn that without generational replacement, the sector risks decline because grape growing and wine production depend on a continuing workforce.
Compounding recruitment difficulties is rural depopulation, known as la España vaciada, where 84% of Spain's territory holds only 15.9% of the population. Rural youth numbers are one third lower than in urban areas, making it harder to attract young people to vineyards.
Solutions emphasized include attracting young workers, modernising vineyards, and ensuring operators acquire sustainability and digital skills vital for the sector's future.
The report highlighting these challenges was commissioned by the Spanish Wine Interprofessional Organisation (OIVE), led by president Fernando Ezquerro.
Óscar de Íscar, 36, a partner and board member at the Cuatro Rayas cooperative in La Seca, Valladolid, embodies the infusion of new blood. Holding a chemical engineering degree and a master's in winery management, he is poised to take over 60 hectares of vineyard land, continuing a family tradition that spans four generations.
Cuatro Rayas showcases a modernized operation with stainless steel tanks and a history dating back about 90 years, representing the sector's efforts to innovate and sustain itself amid demographic challenges.
