Agroaldea
Protected Geographical Indication, IGP, It has taken nearly three years to reach because there were no companies authorized to underwrite the seal.
Headquarters Agrarian Transformation Society Costa Caleta in the municipality of Gáldar, It became yesterday in the pilgrimage of representatives of various administrations, agribusinesses, agricultural organizations, company certification, providers, financial institutions and shopping chains, to participate in the ceremony of the first certificate of Protected Geographical Indication (IGP), almost three years after the EU granted the island that distinctive fruit.
Like this, SAT Costa Caleta becomes the first banana producer to achieve certification Canarias by the company Agrocolor, which it is also distinguished by certified integrated production and ecological.
Felix Santiago (c), Quintero (i), Clavijo (d), Hernández (i) and Jose Lorenzo (d)
The event was attended by the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, which he was accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing and water, Narvay Quintero, President of COAG-Canarias, Rafael Hernández, and representatives of major retail chains in the archipelago.
Clavijo praised the “primary sector canary effort to differentiate their production through quality”, explaining that the archipelago has approved by the European Union seals offer “a hallmark to products that exceed freshness and quality compared to outsiders”, So what “we must seize to allow consumers to differentiate what you buy”.
The president added that the IGP is “significant support to ensure the characteristics and traceability for the consumer” and he stressed that the banana “It is part of the Canarian identity and symbol of culture, It is an example of adaptation and differentiation, hence the importance of delivering this first certificate”.
On the other hand, Quintero counselor Narvay, He expressed his conviction that this certificate will be the first of many, since a large number of producers-about 8.500- They are already enrolled in the IGP, “which will help the Canary banana can be distinguished clearly in all places where you can buy”.
Quintero said the Canarian Institute of Food Quality (ICCA), It has no capacity to implement the necessary inspection to grant this stamp, so it will be the utility of national certification Agrocolor, which make this work.
The Minister also underlined the support of his department to differentiation through quality schemes and recalled that They have already been granted the corresponding aid 2016 for the production and management of quality seals which they are included within the Rural Development Programme (2014-2020). In December last year, the Government published a call for aid 350.000 euros for companies like SAT Costa Caleta to suit the parameters that require different quality certificates.
“Let's try it out every year with the same amount, approximately, for those who want to certify their quality, either with the IGP or the seal of the Outermost Regions (RUP), for example”, Quintero said.
The three generations Santiago Melian with director general of Coagrisan, Jacinto Godoy Gonzalez.
The president of the SAT Costa Caleta, Felix Santiago Melian, He showed his pride in what he called 'a team well done', which has already obtained other certifications and, above all, continues to generate employment, said Santiago.
For the president of the Coordinator of Organizations of Farmers and Ranchers (COAG), Rafael Hernández, the distinctive assures the consumer that the banana is buying not only come from the Islands, but also it meets quality parameters “They have no other productions may have”. In this way, producers hope to compete in the Peninsula, market which export most of their production, better off than the banana coming from Latin America.
certification, which must be updated annually, will appear on the boxes and containers of all three brands sold by this company: Galdense, La Guancha and Doramas.
SAT Costa Caleta integrates a 125 farmers with 450 hectares of crops, distributed by La Aldea, Gáldar or Saint Lucia. The company employs 150 workers and high production times the number of employees rises to 200.
The facility has five production lines by passing 3.000 kilos of bananas at the time. Fruit, after being sorted by size, weight and external appearance, It is deposited in boxes 17 kilos. The production, over a year, It rises to 27 million kilos.
Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) It represents global recognition to the differentiated quality of a product, the banana, whose differentiation is due to the geographical environment and traditional farming practices.
As determined by the European Union they are covered under this the IGP Musa Cavendish varieties of spice acuminatta Colla, cultivated in the Canary Islands and destined for fresh consumption.