The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands, Narvay Quintero, and the mayor of Vega de San Mateo, Davinia Falcón, have presented a promotional action to encourage visits to the San Mateo Agricultural and Artisan Market and the consumption of local products during the summer. This initiative will take place from August 3rd to 9th, under the regional Executive's “Dinamiza Rural” program.
The campaign, which aims to position proximity products as “the origin of good flavor,” includes the design of graphic imagery and the production of a commercial and other audiovisual pieces to be disseminated across various media and digital platforms.
During the presentation, they also visited the construction site of the new municipal market, a project with a total budget exceeding 8,000,000 euros. This new facility is financed with 1,545,000 euros from the Rural Development Program (PDR), aimed at promoting rural infrastructure and services, managed by the Government of the Canary Islands.
Minister Narvay Quintero highlighted that local markets are key points for direct sales and that the objective of this action is to enhance the space, promote the consumption of primary sector products and crafts, and recognize the market's social and cultural role as a meeting point.
For her part, Mayor Davinia Falcón stated that the initiative reinforces the council's commitment to promoting the market as an economic driver and a symbol of Gran Canaria's history and tradition. The goal is to establish the market as a tourist and gastronomic attraction, supporting farmers, ranchers, and artisans.
The CEO of GMR Canarias, Juan Antonio Alonso, emphasized that agricultural and artisan markets are pillars for short marketing channels, creating opportunities for small farms and contributing to economic activity in less populated municipalities.
The construction of the new municipal market, intended to provide producers with modern infrastructure, has faced delays due to issues with the awarded company, necessitating project redesign and re-tendering.
Minister Quintero clarified that the Ministry does not have jurisdiction over municipal markets, but the initiative falls under the PDR program, a European initiative promoting rural infrastructure through municipal grants. These works address a local need and strengthen agricultural activity and the local economy.
