The president of the National Federation of Self-Employed Workers (CEAT) and of the Agricultural Association of Young Growers (Asaja), Pedro Barato, warned that the Canarian tomato sector is in need of support because "it cannot withstand the recession and it will likely disappear next year. Barato, who met with the Canarian Regional President, Paulino Rivero, made this statement after the Parliament of the Canary Islands asked Spain and the European Union to offer support for the crop. "Canarian tomatoes have two competitors; in the past it was only Morocco, but now it is also the Peninsula, and due to its peculiarity it should receive more financial support," stated Barato after his meeting with Rivero.
He expressed his commitment to convey the sector's concerns to the Minister of Agriculture, "as the sector cannot take the recession anymore and is very likely to disappear."
He stressed that "the president was very receptive to entrepreneurs, but he also demands for companies to describe the situation as it is, and not worse.
Pedro Barato travelled to Tenerife to attend a meeting on the preliminary draft legislation for entrepreneurs organised by the Intersectoral Association of Self-employed Workers of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (CEAT Tenerife).
Before this meeting, accompanied by the president of CEAT Tenerife, Francisco Mesa, he paid a visit to the mayor of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, José Manuel Bermúdez, the president of the Island Council of Tenerife, Ricardo Melchior, and the president of the Canarian Government, Paulino Rivero.
Source: Efe
