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This section is divided into 6 topics: Introduction | Agriculture | Industry | Commerce | Salaries and Cost of Living | The Tourist Industry Tras-os-Montes
is an economically depressed region.
On the Synthetic Indicator of the Intensity of Regional Problems (see
Population) the districts of Bragança and Vila Real occupied a
position of 30 out of 100. The
overall economic situation is one of a poorly educated and aging
population still dependent on the primary sector and an absence of major
industry that might attract a labor force and stem the tide of
emigration. We can divide
the economic sector into agriculture—made up of the very lucrative
table wine trade in the south of the district of Vila Real, potatoes
grown especially in the valley of Chaves, the traditional crops of corn—for
raising pigs--, wheat, rye, barley, beans, and garden vegetables for
sale in local markets. There
are also localized plantations of apple trees, pear trees, peach trees,
and olive trees in the Mirandela area, some cork, and almond trees in
the region of the upper Douro. The
region of Carrazedo de Monenegro is especially famous for production of
chestnuts. There is also an
extensive area of planted forest, pine and some eucalyptus, with wood
being used for industry. The raising of animals is still important.
In 1960 there were 410,000 sheep, 110,000 pigs, and the same
number of cows. Pig raising
has become a lucrative industry because of high prices for ham and
sausages. The regions of
Mirandela and the Barroso are also famous for their beef cattle, with
the meat fetching a high price. The
cattle- raising is intensive, for lack of space and good pasture, and
the calves are sold to the market for sale as veal.
In 1960 there were still 100,000 goats, but this has dropped
dramatically. Goat meat in
restaurants is a treat and
fetches a high price.
The
province was from Roman times the object of mineral explorations.
Gold was one of the first metals to be sought after and there
were important mines in Campo de Jales, near Vila Pouca.
These have now been abandoned.
Tin, wolfram, antimony, lead, and manganese have some extractive
activity, but we can conclude that there are no major mines in the area.
There are still large granite deposits, especially near Chaves and
Pedras Salgadas, and much of this is exported to Spain.
Mineral water is another promising industry.
Portugal’s most famous bottled water, Pedras Salgadas, “Agua
das Pedras” is a naturally fizzy water bottled in the town of the same
name. There are also small
bottling plants in Vidago and Carvalhelhos near Boticas. With respect to industry, it is only making its first steps. In 1960 only 9.8% of the active population belonged to this second sector. There are small construction industries mainly producing building materials to satisfy the dynamic construction market stimulated by the returning emigrant market, some small shoe and textile industries, and a handful of metallurgy, metal-mechanic, electrical materials, transportation, and food products industries. Deficiently served by communication routes, since the highway network is relatively sparse; and with a railroad system which is either deficient or non-existent, the territory of the region has not been able to attract the implantation of industries which its interesting mineral potential might justify and which its worrying human situation certainly deserves. Tras-os-Montes is a complex case of geo-human isolation that requires a vigorous effort of socio-cultural transformation. Education seems to be one of the essentials, because without an educated, skilled labor force no industry will set up in the region. An improvement in communications is essential for industries to transport their products quickly to the populated areas. With neither of these two essential conditions being met at present the situation promises to continue for a long time. Industry | Commerce | Salaries and Cost of Living | The Tourist Industry
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