The women workers of the Canarian tomato.

Carolina Darias San Sebastian.

President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands.

This year marks the 130 anniversary of the Canarian tomato export.

In this, more than a century, we have been able to verify the importance of tomato production in the context of the productive economy of the Islands, as well as the geography and Canarian society.

Businessmen, technical, harvesters, producers and workers have been aware of this fact over several generations and have shown, with his work, the capacity of the sector to overcome obstacles and face new challenges. My sincere congratulations to them.

However, on this occasion I want to refer to one of the fundamental pillars of the Canary tomato, not always recognized: its workers. This anniversary should serve to pay tribute to their dedication, to the commitment they have made throughout the history of the Canary Islands to prolong the efforts of so many people, already out in the field, on farms or in packaging warehouses.

The woman, always striving every time she has to face agricultural tasks, has been very present in the day to day of this sector. With his hands, staring at the horizon, in the methodological distribution of crops, in the open air or in greenhouses and in the operation of decanting and sorting devices.

His tenacity has been admirable and therefore, when talking about the participation of Canarian women in rural areas, It is mandatory to refer to its performance in tomato growing areas. Their effort has constituted a substantial contribution to the human capital linked to the sector. But its contribution to the growth of the Canary tomato has not been limited only to that.

The push of so many Canarian women has made it possible, in good measure, consolidation in the national and foreign markets, to such an extent that the Canary Island tomato brand or the Canary Island tomato label are already concepts linked to our primary sector, to our coexistence, to the gastronomy and customs of these Islands.

After one hundred and thirty years, the great truth is that this sector represents, In most cases, the technological vanguard of agriculture, employs more than ten thousand people and has its own commercial logistics in Europe.

If the Canary Islands have to be a permanent motivation, as we have advocated from the regional Parliament, the export tomato should be a primary reference to continue improving the cultivation and marketing conditions.

I assure you that the institution that I preside over will be sensitive to such aspirations and will endeavor to stimulate the work and commitments of public institutions with the Canary tomato, with its workers and, especially, with his workers.