The Free Agricultural Platform of the Canary Islands (Palca) and the Union of Unions of Farmers and Ranchers have denounced this Monday the "million-dollar losses" that the Canary banana is registering, after more than two months being sold below production costs.
As a consequence of this situation, they demand resignations at the top of Asprocan and in its six OPP (Organization of Banana Producers), considering that their actions are "unacceptable" and that numerous farms are "at the limit" of their economic viability.
They remind that, in the summer months, banana consumption decreases due to competition from other fruits, so they maintain that "those who are paid and hold positions to lead the sector have the obligation to anticipate and act before the farmer is ruined, not two months later."
Both organizations emphasize that, according to the decree of 2018, the OPP "must ensure that production is planned and adjusted to demand, both in quality and quantity, and work with harvesting forecasts" and highlight that "the measures to reduce shipments arrived late and remain insufficient."
The effect of this management, they point out, "is million-dollar losses for the producers."
In this context, they question the "huge differential between what the consumer pays and what the producer receives" and urge the OPP and Asprocan to take on their responsibilities.
"If after this disaster they are still unable to seriously plan production, organize supply, and defend the income of the producers, they must resign and make way for others. A position cannot serve to collect and, when management fails, cry like a mourner and hide behind the market," they state in a joint note.
In addition, they warn that the Minister of Agriculture of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, "cannot continue looking the other way" and must "control compliance" with the obligations set forth in Decree 48/2018.
"We want to know what controls have been carried out and what measures he plans to adopt in the face of a situation that is pushing thousands of producers to the limit," they conclude.