POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES AND THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, THEY PRESENTED THE PRODUCTIONS THAT WILL GO ON SALE.

The next week will go on sale the first ancient Canarian potatoes with protected designation of origin (DOP). The first productions that will be marketed under this European quality label, requested by the producers in March of 2009 and granted, At last, in October of last year, they are practically “sold”.

This is the first DOP obtained in Spain for the Pope and the second in Europe. The Minister of Agriculture of the Cabildo de Tenerife, José Joaquín Bethencourt, He said that it is a "job well done Award" and said that it is the highest recognition given by the European Union (EU) differentiated quality agri-food products.

Bethencourt stressed that "there is no product that has been able to combine both effort and collaboration, and the Pope" and said that, precisely, This tuber represents "our culinary icon by nature". However, He lamented that there is a greater involvement of the productive sector and said that the work starts now where producers, institutions and distribution, "they will have to work together.".

Manuel Luis, President of the Association of producers of the beautiful Pope, it coincided with Bethencourt in the work that remains to be done, especially, "in regard to the investigation of disease of the moth".

On the other hand, the President of the Union of cooperatives of Canary Islands (UCA), Juan José de el Pino, He pointed out that this seal recognises not only to the Canary Islands but "know-how of farmers" and demanded more "institutional support" cooperatives.

Finally, the director of the ICCA, Alfonso López, He said that "the Canaries should be the first that we should be proud of us and defend our products, as the Pope, cheese, wine or gofio".

Farmers interested in hosting this sign must meet the requirements specified in the contract documents and be entered in the register of producers, in which there is 13 producers of Tenerife.

In addition, to be able to commercialize this product with the seal, distributors must also appear in the register of wholesalers and packaging plants.