SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 29 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands has initiated a promotional drive to boost the uptake of local potatoes within the archipelago. This initiative aims to bolster the island’s production, complemented by intensified quality inspections of imported goods available in the market, overseen by the Canary Islands Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA).
Juan Antonio Alonso, the CEO of the public entity GMR Canarias, articulated in a press briefing today that the primary objective of these efforts is to cultivate consumer loyalty towards local produce and “raise awareness regarding the beneficial impacts of choosing Canarian products”. By supporting local products, we acknowledge the dedication of the agricultural workforce, generate jobs, bolster the local economy, preserve our agrarian landscapes, sustain our primary sector, uphold associated traditions, and foster sustainable growth across our islands.
Under the banner ‘Request a potato, ensure it’s Canarian’, this campaign strives to educate the population of the islands on the significance of embracing this indigenous product. As highlighted by the head of GMR Canarias, the local potatoes face competition from imported alternatives, underscoring their distinguishing features of quality, freshness, and their rooted connection with culinary customs and Canarian heritage.
At the campaign launch event, the government representative was joined by Luis Arráez, the director of the Canarian Institute of Agri-Food Quality (ICCA), chef Braulio Simancas from Tasca Silbo Gomero, and farmer Sergio Rodríguez from Frutas y Verduras Nito. Both Simancas and Rodríguez are collaborators in this official endeavour and staunch advocates for locally sourced products and the efforts of agricultural workers, as noted by Alonso.
Chef Braulio Simancas emphasised the importance of selecting Canarian products “for reasons of agro-food quality, consumer health, and the circular economy, which holds particular significance for an Ultraperipheral Region like the Canary Islands.” He added, “Consumption patterns have a tangible impact on our farmers’ livelihoods. In terms of gastronomic value, there exists a noticeable disparity between locally grown potatoes and those sourced from abroad.”
Producer Sergio Rodríguez commended the dedication of farmers who toil diligently each day to provide us with sustenance. He noted, “We often fail to appreciate the convenience of finding produce readily available in our markets and fridges.”
“We firmly believe that if there is a demand for the product and a fair price is remunerated, agricultural endeavours will remain profitable for producers,” underscored Juan Antonio Alonso. Responding to queries from journalists, he explained that “the recent issues of surplus stock among certain operators have been successfully addressed in recent weeks, and this campaign serves as a reinforcement in this aspect.”
Funded by GMR Canarias, this initiative will be active from July 29 to August 27 across digital and outdoor advertising platforms, selected for their proximity to the target demographic – individuals aged 25 and above, who wield substantial purchasing power. The campaign encompasses a 31-second video, banners in various formats, to be disseminated on Social Networks (Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube), Google’s digital advertising platform (Google Display), via programmatic advertising, and on digital screens in shopping centres, hypermarkets, the Tenerife tram, and digital mupis (street furniture employed for advertising purposes).
The visual content captures everyday scenarios featuring this product (a customer and a shop assistant in a fruit store, a chef in his restaurant’s kitchen, a family dining together, and a farmer on his land). Each protagonist references the slogan “Request a potato, ensure it’s Canarian”. The video concludes with a voice-over prompting viewers to “support our farmers; relish the quality and flavour of our soil”.
The other creatives showcase potatoes in a soil furrow in the foreground, with a farmer operating a potato harvester in the background, alongside the aforementioned slogan. This image aims to forge a connection between the product and the dedication of producers, while conveying a message of optimism through the furrow symbolising progress and a gaze towards the future.
