But that is precisely what is bound to happen . Scientists predict that the amount of precipitation in Southern Portugal and Spain during spring – which has been diminishing since 1960 – will decrease further by the end of this century .
“ If there are more droughts in spring , it is likely that we will see less thickness [ in cork ],” Oliveira concludes .
A decrease of 30 % or more in annual ring width is expected , according to the study . And should this indeed happen , then some sort of adaptation will be necessary in order to keep the cork industry in good health .
Portugal is home of one-third of the world ’ s cork tree forests , and is responsible for half of the global production . Most of it is exported , generating around € 850 million in foreign revenue every year . Cork that is thick enough to produce stoppers is worth around twice as much or more as the slimmer bark , which is used in the manufacture of other products .
The study suggests that extending the regular nine-year cycle between each cork extraction could help overcome the problem . It is a limited solution , though , for most of the cork growth occurs in the first few years immediately after the last extraction .
Water scarcity Irrigation is another alternative , but that has its own drawbacks , such as the prospect of increased water scarcity in the region in the future .
Another possibility would be to reduce the diameter of bottlenecks . João Roquette , CEO of Portuguese winemaking company Esporão , says : “ With less cork , there will be less microoxygenation . This will affect how the wine evolves . But it could be an advantage in some cases .
On the other hand , Roquette adds , it would be necessary to spend money to adapt the capping machinery and to make thinner but sturdier bottlenecks that do not break easily .
Producers count on forest management as a weapon against climate change . “ We can manage the montado so that trees make the best of rainwater when it is there ,” says Conceição Silva , head of the technical department at the Coruche Forest Producers Association .
However , Silva argues that cork oak trees react differently in different locations , and that the study carried out at the University of Lisbon is only valid for a specific area .
Portuguese cork multinational Amorim claims that cork oak trees have been around for 45 million years , and the fact that they have survived major climatic changes is telling of their great resilience . – Climate News Network
Ricardo Garcia , an independent journalist based in Portugal and the UK , is an environmental writer / analyst and a journalism trainer . Email : ricardo . garcia @ outlook . pt ;
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