bananasThe producers of Plátano de Canarias have begun the distribution of 400.000 kilograms of bananas, so that they can reach needy families in the Canary Islands and the Peninsula.

The president of the Association of Banana Producer Organizations of the Canary Islands (ASPROCAN), Santiago Rodriguez, explains that The first actions were carried out last week and focused on the delivery of 42.000 kilograms of bananas to the food banks of Tenerife and Las Palmas.

A figure that represents the reception limit established by said entities at this time, which has forced shipments of bananas to other centers on the Peninsula, taking into account the highly perishable nature of the fruit, that prevents its storage in cameras.

The Spanish Federation of Food Banks (FESBAL) is managing the distribution of bananas to other food banks in the country, It is expected that throughout this week and next they will reach a total of 17 centers of the Peninsula, located in Murcia, Zaragoza, To Coruña, Badajoz, Salamanca, Alicante, Burgos, Lugo, Albacete, Valladolid, Cordoba, León, Málaga, Jaen, as well as Vizcaya, Asturias and Álava.

Santiago Rodríguez remembers that for ASPROCAN Social commitment is a key aspect that is included within the sector's priorities. For that reason, given the impact of the economic crisis on Spanish society in recent years, The banana sector has intensified collaborative actions with food banks throughout the country in order to help families who are in a more precarious situation.

[quote]This collaboration was reflected in an agreement signed with FESBAL in 2013 to establish courses of action that enable the distribution of bananas to the greatest possible number of people in need.[/quote]

Rodríguez highlights the good results that have been achieved thanks to said agreement and that have allowed last year the 3 million kilograms of bananas distributed in the different food banks in the country.

However, regrets that, despite the important advances made in this line of collaboration, The involvement of shipping companies and transport companies has not been achieved to cover part of the cost of shipping the bananas to their destination.. This, explains, has meant that said expense has been financed in its entirety by banana producer organizations through the solidarity mechanisms contemplated in ASPROCAN.