Spain: First phytosanitary control on Canary tomatoes passes without issues

The first phytosanitary control carried out on a batch of Canary tomatoes shipped outside the archipelago took place without issues on 2 January, according to sources from the Provincial Federation of Associations of Exporters of Horticultural Products of Las Palmas (Fedex).

On 1 January, various amendments to community regulations were introduced, including, among other aspects, the obligation to inspect 5% of the volume of Canary tomatoes shipped to other European Union territories to demonstrate their being free from tomato pinworm (Keiferia lycopersicella).

Fedex stressed that Canary tomatoes have never tested positive for this moth in the monitoring carried out frequently with pheromone traps in crops and packing plants.

In addition to these controls, the Canary fresh tomato production (an average of 65,000 tonnes per year, 100% of which are exported) is also subject since the start of this year to the issuance of a phytosanitary certificate.

"We have not yet estimated the added burden in terms of workload and paperwork entailed in the application of these community obligations," as pointed out by sources from Fedex, which is part of the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Live plants (Fepex).

The latter states that phytosanitary controls and certificates for Canary tomatoes are a consequence of the modification of Annexes 1 to 5 of Directive 2000/29/EC after the publication of Directive (EU) 2017/1279.

Source: EFE