EN LA MISMA SE EXPUSO LA COYUNTURA EN LA QUE ESTÁ SUMIDO EL SECTOR DE EXPORTACIÓN DE CANARIAS.

En visita al municipio de La Aldea de San Nicolás, el consejero de Agricultura y Aguas junto al gerente del Consejo Insular de Aguas del Cabildo de Gran Canaria, se desplazaron a las instalaciones de COAGRISÁN donde recorrieron el almacén de empaquetado y mantuvieron un encuentro con la dirección y la Rectora de la Cooperativa.

Acompañados por el presidente de Coagrisán, su director general, Jacinto Godoy, members of the Governing, el alcalde de La Aldea y algunos concejales, the Adviser, Francisco Santana, y el gerente del Consejo Insular de Aguas, Gerardo Henriquez, conocieron el proceso de recepción, manipulación y empaquetado de los tomates aldeanos que se envían al continente europeo.

Al finalizar el recorrido mantuvieron una reunión en la que también estuvieron presentes el presidente de la Federación de Exportadores Hortofrutícolas de Las Palmas, Fedex, Ismael López, y el gerente de la Asociación de Cosecheros Exportadores de Tomates de Tenerife, ACETO, Domingo Mendoza.

In his speech, el alcalde de La Aldea, José Miguel Rodríguez, manifestó la importancia del sector primario para la economía del municipio así como la capacidad para generar empleo mediante la estrategia que se ha trazado el ayuntamiento.

El consejero mostró su satisfacción por el trabajo de Coagrisán y valoró el esfuerzo y el trabajo de los agricultores, así como la dirección de la Cooperativa para ser un referente y estar a la vanguardia del sector en Canarias. Also, reported that his department has drawn up long-term planning to guarantee the supply of water for the viability of the island's primary sector.

In this sense, Santana announced that actions will be undertaken to increase the rainfall that allows water resources to be available in the existing infrastructures and to improve and maintain them..

On the other hand, The representatives of the Canary Islands tomato export associations explained the situation in which the sector finds itself., following the State's claim for the reimbursement of transport aid for the year 2002.

Domingo Mendoza explained the chronology of a process that dates back to the year 2006 when the report of a State control obliges producers to reimburse aid. To do this, The State alleges that the exporters had increased the costs of transportation to Europe in an exorbitant manner.

After litigating through the Administrative Litigation route, The first ruling issued by the TSJC forces FEDEX to return approximately eleven million euros. Now we are waiting for the sentence on ACETO, that if it is in the same terms it will mean the ruin and disappearance of the sector in the province of Santa Cruz, said the manager of Aceto.

Mendoza exposed the injustice that is being committed, since in the 125 years of history of this sector in the Canary Islands, If something has characterized it, it has been the seriousness and professionalism that is now being questioned.. The reports that the Delegation has used lack foundation to resolve the issue since, They will be able to computerize their farms thanks to Crotalia, The cold chain that tomatoes need to be marketed is not taken into account..

Both Domingo Mendoza and Ismael López conveyed to the councilor and mayor of the municipality the initiative that both entities will carry out to prevent what they described as the “eviction” of the Canary Islands export tomato sector.

On the other hand, The counselor and the mayor of La Aldea showed their willingness to take whatever steps are necessary to avoid the collapse of the sector., which would translate into a debacle for the economy and the employment that the sector maintains.