The EU-Mercosur agreement could pose a risk to fruit growing in the Canary Islands archipelago, as it opens the door for the banana production in Brazil and the possible entry of tropical fruits grown in the countries that make up the Southern Common Market: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
This was indicated by the Canarian vice president, Roman Rodriguez, in response to the Canarian Coalition deputy Narvay Quintero. The Minister for Finance, Budgets, and European Affairs said they have to be very vigilant regarding the impact that treaties with third countries can have on the Canarian economy, as in this case. It should be noted that, according to Faostat data, Brazil alone produced a total of 6.6 million tons of bananas in 2020.
However, he also said that this type of treaty had its logic. "We can't complain about poverty in the world and then do nothing to remedy it," he said, recalling that nearly 260 million people lived in the Mercosur countries.
The agreement establishes compensation or the non-application of the treaty in the areas that demonstrate that its application causes damage to their economy. It's an insufficient clause, Roman Rodriguez stated. The agreement should take into account the peculiarities of vulnerable territories, such as the outermost regions of Spain, France, and Portugal, he added.
Source: eldiario.es