Even though the United Kingdom departed the EU, the aid for the Canary Islands to transport its tomato shipments to the UK -the main product it ships to the British market (accounting for 67.16% of all shipments to that market, on average)- and the POSEI subsidies to market this product are guaranteed for the moment. However, despite having overcome this obstacle, the Canary tomato faces other challenges.
The sector is now facing a new sea route between the United Kingdom and Morocco that will connect the ports of Poole and Tangier allowing the competition to avoid post-Brexit traffic congestion, additional import procedures for goods arriving through Europe, and a mildew plague that threatens to block Canary tomato exports, which had already decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, 2,160,000 kilos of tomatoes are affected by the fungus in the archipelago and estimates are losses could amount to more than 4,000,000 kilos by the end of the season. As a result, the regional Parliament of the Canary Islands has unanimously requested that establishing direct aid to compensate the economic losses of the affected farmers, especially those in La Aldea de San Nicolas.
This municipality concentrates most of the Canary Islands' tomato production for export. Coagrisan brings together 85 farmers in this municipality, which accounts for approximately 150 hectares of the 465 hectares cultivated with tomatoes in the Canary Islands. Farmers in the area have lost more than 30% of their production. Furthermore, agricultural insurance does not cover losses and more than twenty farmers fear that they will not be able to meet production costs for the following season.
In addition, the new direct line with Morocco is expected to facilitate UK imports of fresh produce directly from Morocco and the rest of Africa. "The new United Seaways service will cut the time it takes for goods to arrive in half and will receive significant environmental benefits by reducing freight road transport. The Port of Poole is ideally configured to receive accompanied and unaccompanied cargo," stated Captain Brian Murphy, Marine and Port Director at the Port of Poole.
In the words of Zeyd Fassi Fehri, the CEO of United Seaways, "I anticipate strong demand for this new direct shuttle service."
Source: eleconomista.es
