The Canary Islands are focusing on differentiating their fruit and vegetable productions through European quality seals, a strategy significantly reinforced this week at Fruit Attraction, a leading international sector event. The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty, Narvay Quintero, announced that the tropical and subtropical fruit sector is working towards applying for a PGI for Canarian Papaya. This initiative follows the European recognition of the PGI Canarian Avocado in 2025 and the ongoing processing of the PGI Canarian Tomato.
The initiative for papaya is particularly relevant given the notable growth in its production, which increased from 19,613.1 tons in 2021 to 34,220.7 tons in 2024, an increase of over 74%. The cultivated area also grew by 31.2%, reaching 421 hectares. This evolution has been accompanied by increased demand, enabling companies from the archipelago to consolidate their foreign sales, especially in mainland Spain and other European markets.
Narvay Quintero, accompanied by the Vice-Minister Eduardo García and the Director of ICCA, Luis Arráez Guadalupe, highlighted that the productive and commercial evolution, along with companies' interest in expansion, strengthens the opportunity to achieve this recognition. "The PGI can become an instrument to support the crop's growth, reinforce the identification of papaya produced in the Canary Islands, and distinguish it for distributors and consumers," he stated.
The minister emphasized that differentiated quality certifications provide productions with a vital tool for competition, allowing clear identification of origin, protection of their designation, and communication of unique characteristics to consumers. "Differentiated quality allows us to compete based on what we have and what other territories cannot replicate: our origin, our agro-climatic and cultivation conditions, accumulated knowledge over generations, and productions fully compliant with European regulations," he added.
Francisco José Echandi Domínguez, president of Tropicán, expressed confidence in the process to obtain the PGI for Canarian Papaya, drawing on the experience of Canarian producers in demanding markets. "This is also a quality figure that buyers themselves are beginning to demand and which can help us strengthen the identification of our papaya in the markets," he noted, aiming to achieve recognition before the end of 2027.
The Canary Islands Government's participation in the 18th edition of Fruit Attraction, featuring a 128-square-meter stand managed by ICCA and Proexca, hosts ten fruit and vegetable companies. These include Arico Fruits, Plántate, Sweet Papaya, Luctaya, Pitaber, Tropicán, River Canarias, and Atlantis Cargo (Binter), along with entities represented by AgroCabildo de Tenerife and the Cabildo de La Palma. The space facilitates product presentations, business meetings, and exploration of new opportunities.
Other entities such as the Association of Canary Islands Banana Producer Organizations (ASPROCAN) and the Provincial Federation of Canary Islands Horticultural Product Exporters (FEDEX) also have a dedicated presence. Kaampo, a company specializing in agricultural technology tools, has a space funded by Proexca.
The fair anticipates hosting over 2,500 companies and 121,000 professionals from 150 countries, with a program focused on 700 international buyers. China and the United Arab Emirates are the highlighted guest markets, and potato is the featured product of this edition.
Narvay Quintero reiterated the objective to "help Canarian companies expand their client portfolios, find new sales channels and destinations, and turn the contacts generated by a fair of this magnitude into real commercial opportunities." He highlighted the potential of tropical and subtropical fruits, alongside traditional crops like bananas and tomatoes, to gain competitiveness and recognition for their differential value in foreign markets.
