SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE Nov. 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –
On Wednesday, six parties from the Parliament of the Canary Islands convened at the ‘Conecta Europa Conference’, organised by the Chamber, to discuss the urgent need to bolster the community aid system for the primary sector, minimise bureaucracy, and ensure profitability to secure its future. Notably, Vox was absent due to scheduling conflicts.
Manuel Fumero (PSOE) remarked that there is “a considerable amount of work to do” to prevent the primary sector from vanishing from the islands. This includes increasing and streamlining European aid, as well as reducing “red tape” and facilitating generational succession. “The regulations in the Canary Islands are driving them away,” he expressed.
Francisco Linares (CC) has acknowledged that the state of the sector is “sad and distressing”, noting that young people are reluctant to join due to uncertain incomes. However, he did highlight that jobs continue to be “created” in spite of the “drama” surrounding the loss of arable land and livestock farms.
“There are children of agricultural workers in my municipality who prefer to serve drinks in Puerto de la Cruz and receive their pay at the end of the month,” he emphasised.
He cautioned that subsidies “have an end” and cannot be sustained indefinitely, describing the Posei as the “lifeblood” that keeps agriculture alive. He also critiqued the “paperwork” required of new entrepreneurs, stating, “We overwhelm them.”
Linares, who also serves as mayor of La Orotava, remarked that the northern part of the island is beginning to be “emptied”, particularly in Isla Baja, with young people moving “south” and increasing their economic reliance on tourism. “Ships that list to one side typically sink,” he pointed out.
Juan Manuel García Casañas (PP) has admitted that starting a farm in the primary sector is an “odyssey” and, furthermore, there is no guarantee of a salary at the end of the month. Therefore, he believes it is essential to provide “compensations” so that farmers, ranchers, and fishermen in the islands can “compete on equal footing.”
He stated that we must make “Brussels understand” the significance of the primary sector in a remote area like the Canary Islands, emphasising the necessity of safeguarding water usage. In his opinion, this entails more than just repairing damages to the municipal network; it requires the construction of desalination plants.
Luis Campos, spokesperson for NC-BC, has highlighted that the primary sector faces “enormous challenges”, with a “bleak outlook” stemming from a lack of water, absence of generational change, unfair competition, and excessive bureaucracy.
He pointed out that “no one” sustains a business “while losing money” and questioned “why” the primary sector should remain in a romanticised state, advocating for the “consensus” achieved in the parliamentary committee on Agriculture, as it is a sector that “desperately needs it.”
THE EU MUST “ENGAGE” WITH FARMERS AND RANCHERS
The Canarista deputy expressed support for the criteria set by the EU but believes that there should be direct “engagement” with the primary sector, as some measures within the European green pact may be unnecessary.
In contrast to Linares, he dismissed the “mainland concept” of ’emptied Canary Islands’, asserting that the island municipalities do not experience the same level of depopulation as those on the mainland.
Jesús Ramos (ASG) has urged for “greater political commitment” from various governments to enhance the primary sector, expressing hope that tourism can “support” agriculture and livestock through the ‘Grow Together’ programme. “They are entitled to their share of the pie,” he explained.
He raised concerns about the “loss of landscape” in the Canary Islands and acknowledged the reliance on the EU to keep farms operational. “We need to develop policies in collaboration with the sector, rather than legislating from an office,” he stressed.
Raúl Acosta (AHI) has called for a “positive” approach to revitalise the primary sector, which necessitates increasing European subsidies to modernise farms and facilitate entrepreneurship.
He highlighted a “failure” in marketing, noting that “the food chain law is not being adhered to” and that there is a lack of “synergies” with other subsectors. He also observed that the policies aimed at young people are being implemented incorrectly.
