EU approves the payment in two installments of aid 2008 Canary Islands banana.

UNTIL NOW THE SYSTEM THAT WAS IN FORCE WAS THE SINGLE PAYMENT SYSTEM.

Aid to the Canarian banana sector amounts to 141, 1 million euros. The authorization of this measure will allow greater liquidity for the banana growers of the Islands who will receive a part of the aid next December and will collect the second part before 30 of June of 2009.

The 'single payment' Management Committee, which includes representatives of the Twenty-seven partners of the EU and the Community Executive, “unanimously” adopted the splitting of the aid into two payments 2008 to the banana producers of the Canary Islands.

This measure responds to the request of the Association of Canarian Producers (Asprocán) Coursed by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Government of the Canary Islands, through the Ministry in Madrid, to the European Commission.

Currently, the system in force for the payment of loans 141,1 million euros of European subsidies received by the Canarian banana sector – within the framework of the Poseicán agricultural program- It is a 'single payment'.

The community Executive has not decided the percentage of each of the payments although the aid could be divided into two fractions of the 50% each, according to Brussels sources.

Both Asprocán and the Association of European Banana Producers (Aped) they congratulate, in a statement, of this “news because it means for Canarian producers income that is absolutely necessary to have liquidity and to be able to cultivate while maintaining the quality of our banana.”.

The European Commission rejected, month and a half ago, the request to authorize an 'advance of aid'. Request that had been made jointly by the three governments of the producing countries: Spain, France and Portugal, remember the text.