Agüimes requests that the olive tree is included in the POSEI negotiations.

The olive grove is a traditional crop in the Canary Islands that was established more than 400 years.

This support is motivated by the growing economic and social importance of olive cultivation., its environmental suitability, its historical and cultural roots, and the fact that it is a very valid option to develop rural areas that need new economic engines.

This request is included in the institutional proposal approved unanimously in the ordinary plenary session corresponding to the month of July, in which the Government of the Canary Islands and the Government of Spain are urged to evaluate the current POSEI support framework, in order to include the olive tree in the negotiations of this community program.

The institutional proposal says verbatim:

“The olive grove is a traditional crop in the Canary Islands that was established more than 400 years. Throughout history its fruits have been used both as table olives and for the production of virgin olive oil., generating a culture and know-how around cultural practices and the use of their fruit.

The traditional variety in the Canary Islands is the Verdial de Huevar (Verdial canary), that over the centuries has adapted to our soil and climatological conditions, producing a unique olive, high quality and differentiation.

Currently, Olive cultivation in the Canary Islands is in full expansion given its great capacity to adapt to the environmental and orographic conditions of the archipelago., generating great expectations, offering a development opportunity in the midlands of the Canary Islands.

In the Canary Islands, most export crops (banana, tomato, cucumber, pepper,…) They are found in flat areas and, Therefore, at the low levels, up to 200 metres above sea level.

The olive, However, is planted on the heights of 200-800 metres above sea level, mostly in the midlands, playing a fundamental role in these areas both from an environmental point of view, landscape as well as the generation of economic activity around this crop, at the same time establishing population in rural areas around said crop.

Regarding the orientation of environmental protection and sustainable agriculture that the European Commission wants to give to crops, prioritizing the most environmentally friendly systems, It should be noted that the antiquity of olive cultivation in the Canary Islands, the conservation of the traditional agrosystem, the adapted native varieties and the rusticity of the species, make the olive tree one of the least problematic crops to convert to organic production.

In addition, The cultivation of olive trees would establish population in these rural areas of the islands and would contribute to curbing the problem of agricultural soils that register a rate of soil loss due to erosion., since it is a rustic tree perfectly adapted to the soil conditions of the islands and capable of extracting water from the soil in conditions of intolerable and limiting water deficit for most crops..

The olive tree is an agroforestry crop that can be used to recover abandoned soils with a certain slope., creating a characteristic landscape, while contributing to the diversification of crops and, Therefore, to increase the level of self-sufficiency and food security of the archipelago. Furthermore, it should be noted that the small farmer would be the most benefited if there is a commitment to support this crop within the framework of the POSEI., because in these rural areas the parceling is very atomized.

[quote]The traditional variety in the Canary Islands is the Verdial de Huevar (Verdial canary), that over the centuries has adapted to our soil and climatological conditions, producing a unique olive, of high quality and differentiation.[/quote]

However, in the last 10 years, This is when this crop has had a greater expansion throughout the islands. Creating expectations in the Canarian countryside that have not been perceived for many years. Today, under the protection of this crop, is being created on most islands, a transformation industry (olive oil mills and packaging) with a lot of future, with which jobs are being created both in field work and in processing industries..

Today, Olive cultivation is supported in Continental Europe and yet does not receive any type of aid in the outermost regions., Therefore, it seems fair to also support the cultivation of olive trees and the resulting processing industry in the outermost regions..

For all these reasons, The Institutional proposal to support the cultivation of olive trees is proposed within the POSEI, taking into account the growing economic and social importance of its cultivation, its environmental suitability, its historical and cultural roots, and the fact that it is a very valid option to develop rural areas that need new economic engines, it is considered essential that, in the POSEI mark, a support line is established for this crop.

Also, urge the Government of the Canary Islands and the Government of Spain to evaluate the current POSEI support framework, in which the olive tree is included in the negotiations of the Community Program to Support Agricultural Productions in the Canary Islands (POSEI), in order to improve the current program, introducing criteria that encourage job creation through direct linking of aid, quality improvement, environmental protection and more balanced treatment between the different agricultural and, At last, notify the agreements previously outlined to the Government of the Canary Islands and the Government of Spain, as well as the General Directorate of Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission”.