The Canary Banana Producers Organization Agriten has obtained the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) Plátano de Canarias for its associates. The certificate was presented at an event held last week at the organization's headquarters in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
Obtaining the PGI Plátano de Canarias certifies that Agriten's production complies with the specifications of the PGI and is cultivated in accordance with its quality standards. It is a recognition of the quality of the work carried out by Agriten's producers and packagers in all stages of the production process.
The ceremony was chaired by the Primary Sector Councillor of the Council of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Water of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, as well as the president of the S.A.T. Agricultural Producers of Tenerife (AGRITEN), Mª Carmen González Hernández. The event also counted with the presence of Domingo Martín Ortega, president of the Plátano de Canarias PGI management body (ASPROCAN), the Canary Islands delegate of the certifying entity Agrocolor, Francisco Monteagut; as well as members of Agriten's Governing Board and staff.
The certification process for the granting of the PGI certificate, which has been carried out by Agrocolor, has consisted of multiple inspections and audits of both the product and the production process on farms and packaging facilities in order to verify the physical, chemical and organoleptic qualities of the product. This quality seal, which guarantees the specific physical, chemical and organoleptic qualities of Plátano de Canarias, has been granted to 537 producers and 16 packing centres with an average production of 63,000 tonnes per year.
Councillor Narvay Quintero wished to emphasise the importance of the PGI certification as a guarantee of quality and a differentiating element for Canary bananas; something in which all Banana Producer Organizations are involved.
For Mª Carmen González Hernández, "obtaining the PGI Plátano de Canarias certification for all our partners is a very important step for the entire organization and demonstrates that Agriten meets the standards of the product's European quality seal. At Agriten, we work with the whole sector to contribute in the consolidation of the PGI Plátano de Canarias, which is fundamental to defend the differentiation of our product and have a stronger market position when competing against bananas from other origins."