Agroaldea
Adipa accuses Cosecha Directa and UPA of leading farmers to an "unjust war", while they deny the "false accusations" and ask for a public rectification.
The Association of Potato Distributors of Gran Canaria, ADIPA, has shown its fear that the management of some cooperatives, Among which he cites Direct Harvest and the Union of Small Farmers and Ranchers (UPA) The palms, take farmers to a “unjust war” of the potato and with it “to ruin” of the agricultural sector.
For this reason, Adipa observes “with concern” how the steps taken by these entities for the direct marketing of potatoes in large food stores have led to the sale of a kilo of local potato to the consumer at “only 28 cents per kilo, with which the producer will receive an average of 18 cents, a value well below fair performance” of exploitation.
In addition, have indicated in a statement, that this also incurs competition “unfair” towards the distributor that “does not receive any” European compensation in marketing.
According to Adipa, cooperatives “prices drop” counting on the margin of the others 18 Cents on average per kilo from POSEI aid, which adds a few 36 cents per kilo for the farmer, quantity “far away” of the 60 cents that are considered “precise to sustain exploitation”.
“The great ruin of the field is not caused by distribution but has its origin in the management of these false cooperatives that have lowered prices to historical lows in the local market, minimums that the farmer will not see rewarded in any case through production subsidies”, underline.
Adipa has asked the Agricultural Council of the Government of the Canary Islands to hold the periodic meetings of the Potato Table again, What “it has not been convened for more than four years”.
On the other hand, the Cosecha Directa cooperative assures that it has not maintained contact with large supermarkets in the last two years and UPA recalls that it is a non-profit agricultural organization and asks potato distributors for a public rectification.
From Direct Harvest, the price of potatoes is attributed to more than 60 millions of this tuber that enter the Canary Islands from other countries and that some supermarkets sell as if they were from the Islands.
Cosecha Directa believes that the accusations made by Adipa show a cowardly attitude and retaliation because precisely the cooperative has “power to lower the price of potato seed”. That is why they have asked Adipa for a public rectification of the accusations made.
Also the Organization of Small Farmers and Ranchers of Las Palmas, UPA, wanted to highlight that its function is not to sell potatoes, so it denies having managed anything in this regard with any large area.
UPA recalls that it is a non-profit agricultural organization and has also asked Adipa for a public rectification.