A storm that struck the Canary Islands at the end of January has damaged more than 1200ha of banana plantings, according to agricultural insurance agency Agroseguro.
The company said wind gusts of up to 100km per hour hit the islands on 23 and 24 January, resulting in losses to pineapple, avocado, citrus and vegetable production as well as the banana industry. La Palma was the worst affected island, particularly the municipalities of Los Llanos de Aridane, Tazacorte and Fuencaliente de la Palma. Damage assessments are being carried out by the firm, which said its priority was to offer a timely response to all those issuing claims.
The islands’ banana industry employs an estimated 20,000 people and produces around 400,000 tonnes of fruit a year. Despite being subsidised by the European Union, produces have struggled to compete with cheaper dollar imports and declining sales in mainland Spain have fuelled efforts to seek new export markets.
Since last November, producers have been able to market their fruit under the Plátanos de Canarias PGI following the geographical indicator’s official registration by the European Commission.
The Canary Islands banana industry, alongside its counterparts from Guadeloupe, Martinique and Madeira, held a press lunch at this year’s Fruit Logistica to showcase the quality symbol used on boxes of bananas to identify and differentiate fruit grown in the EU’s so-called ultra-peripherical regions from other sources.
