“The potatoes, let them be from here.” It is the motto under which the Canarian Coalition takes a proposal this Friday to the plenary session of the Cabildo “to defend the production, consumption and protection of local varieties” of the tuber. Councilor Antolín Bueno presents the motion in which he requests the execution of the Pope’s Insular Plan for the period 2022-2026. “It is necessary continue the restructuring of the subsector in Tenerife in the field of marketingin such a way as to ensure the viability and survival of the activity”, says Bueno.
The counselor explains that “potato cultivation is sustained thanks to aid for marketing in the internal market and by area of consumption.” He adds that “with the downward evolution of sales prices, these contributions are insufficient to generate attractive income for farmers that allow them to maintain the cultivated area and ensure generational change.”
Bueno also requests the implementation of the Insular Table of the Potato “body that should serve as the basis for annual planning that helps in the correct production, importation and marketing of the potato.” It would be made up of professional groups in the sector, Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries officials of the Cabildo and political groups.
The nationalists also request that farmers be provided with “the rental and use of a camera” that allows them to preserve the production and market it in optimal conditions. Likewise, that the necessary investments be made to repair and leave in perfect working order all the chambers of the ship of the council rented to the Cooperative in Benijos, in such a way that it allows the conservation of the production until its commercialization.
Another of the aspects that Antolín Bueno defends are the advertising campaigns, in collaboration with the town halls and Farmers’ Markets, “that value the quality of our country’s potatoes and help their purchase and consumption by citizens.” He is also requesting new grants to young farmers to support small and medium-sized farms dedicated to growing the country’s potatoes.
The motion calls for Canary Islands Government to the establishment of controls to avoid the massive importation of potatoes for consumption from abroad in the periods in which there is local production and to dialogue with the food distribution sector and intermediaries “to ensure decent prices for our farmers”, according to the Food Chain Law. Similarly, to develop agreements with the tourism, catering, educational and health sectors to prioritize the consumption of local potatoes.
Transport prices
CC-PNC also asks the plenary session on Friday to lower prices for bus and tram users and therefore asks for 9.6 million euros for Titsa and Metropolitano.
Canarian Coalition also proposes a contribution of another two million to the employment program Making Neighborhoods. They also consider four million euros necessary to consolidate employment in the primary sector and help feed livestock, as well as six in subsidies for the self-employed and SMEs. This last measure articulated through the Chamber of Commerce. For Consumer Bonds, five million are requested through Fifede. CC recalls the remainder of 126 million euros of the money that was not executed last year and claims to be willing “to negotiate our amendments to reach a consensus.”
13.5 million for poverty and housing
CC-PNC of the Cabildo proposes to contribute 13.5 million euros to fight against poverty and the acquisition of public housing. It presents 45 anti-crisis proposals for 87 million to the plenary session on Friday 27. Its spokesman, Carlos Alonso, points out that “it is urgent to allocate a budget of 6 million to the IASS for the fight against poverty, as well as 5 million to Visocan for the purchase of housing. Plus 1.5 to the Social and Health Infrastructure Plan of the IASS and another million to rehabilitate homes.
