The Association of Banana Producers' Organizations of the Canary Islands (ASPROCAN), representing all the Producers' Organizations that bring together 100% of the sector, has made the following statements in response to the crisis that the island of La Palma is experiencing due to the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano.
"All of us who are part of Plátano de Canarias deeply appreciate the many signs of affection we are receiving, spontaneously, in the streets, in the media and on social networks (regular consumers, influencers and relevant personalities from different fields). We have received thousands of messages of encouragement and we have witnesses the organization of different initiatives, with both the young and old encouraged to consume our fruit. All these initiatives reminded us that the Canary Island banana is one of the most popular and beloved products in our country. We will never forget all these signs of support at such a particularly difficult time for so many families in the sector and for the whole of the population of La Palma and the Canary Islands."
Clarification on the supply of Plátano de Canarias IGP
"The supply of Plátano de Canarias IGP is guaranteed in all markets in our country. Some consumers are warning us that some outlets are running out of Canary bananas. In this regard, we'd like to say that at this time, we have enough production to meet the needs of the domestic market.
Clarification on the price of Plátano de Canarias IGP
"Given the appearance of inaccurate information on the prices of Canary bananas and their direct competitors from third countries, we would like to emphasize that the price per kilo of Canary bananas paid by consumers is not the responsibility of banana producers, nor is of course the difference in margins between imports and Canary bananas."
"In any case, it is worth noting that the cost of producing Canary bananas is higher than that of imports, as we strictly comply with European and Spanish regulations on labor, environmental, social and food safety standards. Unfortunately, we compete with productions from Africa and Latin America, owned by large multinationals, whose prices in the Spanish market are particularly low due to a destructive trade policy that targets Canary bananas."
For more information:
Asprocan
Tel.: +34 922 535 142
asprocan@platanodecanarias.es
www.platanodecanarias.es