SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 6 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, recognized this Friday that there is “unfair competition” in the avocado market and therefore it is “impossible” for Canarian farmers to compete with the product that arrives from America. and North Africa.
In response to a question from Vox in the parliamentary committee, he criticized the “European hypocrisy” of defending “kilometer zero” production and at the same time signing trade agreements with third countries with which it does not comply with the “principle of reciprocity.”
In fact, he has given as an example the “sadness” caused by seeing at the last ‘Fruit Attraction’ in Madrid how the Canarian producers had “empty” exhibitors due to the “double taxation” they suffer in the ports while there was avocado from Latin America and Africa.
Quintero has pointed out that the ecological requirements imposed by the EU “are greater” than in other parts of the planet, which “makes the product more expensive,” and he understands that it is “unfair” for other avocados to present themselves as organic when they do not have the same conditions. .
The counselor has also said that sometimes it seems that the EU “wants to put an end to the European primary sector” and has called it “illegal” that avocado from outside the islands is being sold in the Canary Islands because it does not comply with the regulations on tropical and subtropical fruits. 1987, something that has been attributed to the lack of personnel to carry out controls at the ports.
He has also said that he is working with the European Commission to promote the PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) of the avocado, which would make it the first in the world and would help improve exports.
Javier Nieto (Vox), who came to the commission with two avocados of his property, pointed out that it “exhausts a lot” producers to fight against “unfair competition” from other countries, stressing that “it is not at all easy” to get the forward cultivation.
He has indicated that there are “structural and long-term problems”, for example, in obtaining environmental quality seals because producers become “bored” and they also have to “take out their wallets”, and with a lot of “paperwork”. before different administrations.
Nieto has insisted that “it is very difficult to compete with the changed rules of the game” and in the face of the American avocado, which is “blood” – obtained through armed conflicts – and “pastelier”, the Canarian has claimed, “which is spread on bread as if it were butter.”
The conservative deputy has acknowledged that prices are high because “the quality is very high” but he has not hidden that with the increase in the price of the shopping basket, consumption will decline. “Measures must be taken so that the avocado can survive,” he stressed.
