Regions in the northern part of the island such as Icod el Alto in Los Realejos, or Benijos in La Orotava are the main areas for the cultivation of potatoes in Tenerife. Local farmers had been requesting for a while to have a facility to improve the competitiveness of production; that is, an island warehouse for the tuber. The Cabildo responds with an investment close to two million Euros for the refurbishment of the premises of the former cooperative in the high district of the Orotava village. The Vice President and the Primary Sector Councillor, Lope Afonso and Valentín González respectively, made a visit to ratify the commitment to “a historical demand”. The exact amount for the financing amounts to 1,961,202 Euros allocated for the comprehensive renovation of the building of the former potato cooperative in Benijos, in the high area of La Orotava.
Appropriate Spaces
Lope Afonso states that “the Cabildo’s objective is to improve and increase appropriate spaces so that Tenerife farmers can store their potato crops, which directly translates into being more competitive in the market.” The investment includes the implementation of three projects. Firstly, the rehabilitation of the premises for receiving, processing, storing, and marketing of potatoes (767,913 Euros). Subsequently, the renewal of the cold storage rooms (1,099,856 Euros) and, finally, the overhaul of the low-voltage electrical installation (93,463 Euros), as well as the consolidation of supplies for the agroindustrial complex of Benijos.
The First Step
Lope Afonso and Valentín González explained that “we have already approved the first of the initiatives, which will be implemented this year.” They described this action as “the first step in responding to a historical demand from farmers in the area, where potato farming has significant economic roots, closely linked to tradition and culture in the region.” They emphasized that “we aim to implement in this infrastructure facilities that guarantee efficient and sustainable use, as well as providing farmers with a suitable place to store the potato harvest.” The goal: “To give them a greater margin for negotiation in the sale and commercialization of local production.”
