The heat wave tops the harvest in the village.

COAGRISAN, the only company that continued exporting, ends the campaign after losing more than two million kilos of tomatoes.

The 'campaign of uncertainty' has been very hazardous for the affected tomato sector. To the delay of one month in the beginning of the plantations and the effects of the rigor of the low temperatures during all the winter months, The consequences of last week's heat wave have been added.

This atypical phenomenon in the month of May, has caused million-dollar losses to the COAGRISAN agricultural cooperative, the only company in the Canary Islands that continued to export tomatoes to meet its commitments to its European clients.

President of COAGRISAN, Juan José del Pino, explained that the high temperatures of the heat wave, that reached over 42ºC, They completely roasted the fruit that was going to be exported to the continent's markets.

Del Pino reported that more than two million kilos of tomatoes have been lost, a 50% of the production of the month of May, which is equivalent to 1,5 million euros.

This situation has led to the closing of the harvest being brought forward two weeks before the scheduled date., with the consequent damage for our clients who had this production, declared the president.

In addition, All this fruit has had to be destroyed due to its zero commercial value., those items that were suitable for their consumption were allocated to animals..

The winter so long, cold and dark that we have suffered also caused a considerable decrease in production. The low temperatures, unknown in recent times 30 years, They did not favor the development and growth of the plants or the ripening of the tomato..

Precisely, The recovery of good weather increased the production and quality of the fruit, which achieved exceptional organoleptic qualities.. This fact made us anticipate that the end of the campaign would allow us to compensate for the effects of winter., but the heat wave ruined our expectations, indicated Juan José Del Pino.

Although production has been reduced, reaching the 22,2 million kilos (equivalent to 3,7 million packages), this campaign, in general terms, It has been better than the previous year.

This assessment made by the president is based on the behavior of the markets.. These have maintained great stability compared to the ups and downs of the previous campaign. However,, The loss of these two million kilos will affect the final balance, Del Pino pointed out..

Regarding the uncertainty of the campaign, This has been dissolving slightly as the commitments agreed with the Government of the Canary Islands are met to meet the payments of the pending additional aid..

Like this, the sector has already been paid 4,1 million euros and this week it received the 0,9 remaining million, that add up to 5 millions agreed to reduce debt. Now subtract the annuity of 2011 to comply with the Strategic Plan 2009/2014.

Also, the increase in transport compensation, going from a 26,3% to almost a 60%, It will allow the sector a break to face one of the highest costs of the activity and which places unequal conditions compared to peninsular producers..

On the other hand, the beginning of work to prepare the new Strategic Plan for the tomato sector, represents hope and a glimpse of the future for a sector that has gone from 900 to 228 producers, of 1.800 to 741 hectares and 152.000 to 75.000 tonnes exported.