A pilot program will be carried out by plum producers in Gran Canaria to promote the marketing of this seasonal fruit, as reported by the councillor of the Primary Sector of the island's Cabildo, Miguel Hidalgo.
Currently, the municipalities in the north of the island, where most of the crop's plantations are located, produce about 25,000 kilos of plums per year; a figure that the Council expects will increase in the coming years thanks to this campaign.
"This is a fruit with great potential for marketing," stressed Hidalgo, who also explained that the plan is to present the product to the consumer in an attractive way, in two kilo boxes and 500 gram containers, and with a new labelling.
This initiative, promoted by the Cabildo and the Government of the Canaries, is inspired by a similar program organised in 2015 to promote the marketing of apricots in the municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana, with a production that reached 60,000 kilos in 2015.
According to the head of the Cabildo's Agrarian Extension Service, Carmen Brito, it is estimated that about 40 producers who have joined the initiative will harvest around 200,000 kilos of apricots this year.
"Last year was terrible for any crop," pointed out Brito, referring to the inclement weather that destroyed the apricot and plum production in 2016.
The Regional Councillor of Agriculture, Narvay Quintero, explained that another of the objectives behind the promotion of these products is to ensure that growers make a profit, so that the production of these fruits can be guaranteed in the future.
"This could mean a real revolution for Gran Canaria, since it would allow for the recovery of many crops," highlighted Hidalgo, who recalled that of the 30,000 hectares suitable for agriculture in Gran Canaria, only about 10,000 are currently exploited.
Source: laprovincia.es
