Over the past five years, the Canary export tomato sector has lost 672 producers and 52,000 tonnes, after a reduction in the acreage amounting to 1,000 hectares, according to the Platform for the Defence of Tomatoes, Fruits and Vegetables.
Given these losses, the sector has stressed in a statement how “vitally important” it is to have a new strategic plan for Canary export tomatoes, thus expressing its satisfaction for the formation of a working committee to address this task.
The Platform is confident that this new plan “will make it possible to address the breaches made to the previous one, which expired last December,” after being in force between 2009 and 2014.
The commission formed today includes the Canarian Government, representatives of the unions FEDEX and ACETO, and a delegate of the Platform for the Defence of Tomatoes, Fruits and Vegetables of the Canary Islands.
The group notes that “almost all currently active producers have made a considerable effort, investing in infrastructure modernisation,” which has made it possible “to fight pests and viruses affecting tomatoes, thus obtaining higher yields and crop quality.”
This has also entailed being able to maintain 10,800 direct jobs.
Source: www.freshplaza.com
