Thursday, November 16, 2006
The Singular Taste of the Canary Islands Tomato
The Canary Islands are working to unify the currently 167 different brands of Canary Islands tomatoes that are exported to the United Kingdom into one unique brand. Although negotiations have been very slow, as they commenced two years ago, the Council of Agriculture expects to close the pact within the next week, said Pedro Rodríguez Zaragoza, speaking from London, after visiting the famous warehouse at Harrods.
Although exterior sales have been consolidated during the last two years, those imported into Britain, the main importer of of Canarian tomatoes, arrive from the islands under 167 different labels, something that the executive wish to end.
This is not just to improve the image in the British market, but in all of Europe. Canary Islands tomatoes are also imported through the port of Rotterdam in Holland and, from there distributed to various states, in boxes under 132 different names.
The biggest obstacle to these unification negotiations, says the Council of Agriculture, has been that some cooperatives, who consider that they have made greater efforts over quality, wish to maintain their own distinct mark. The government, meanwhile, insists that it is necessary for all Canary Islands tomatoes to be exported under one, singular regional identity, which could begin to be used in 2007.
The current export season will commence within the week and harvests indicate that 100,000 tons of tomatoes will be exported to the United Kingdom, 30% of which will come from Tenerife. This year, promotional campaigns have centered on fortifying the presence of Canary Islands tomatoes in three large supermarket chains in Britain and on an advertising billboard campaign at 17 principal train stations and airports in the UK, thereby taking advantage of tourists' prior knowledge of the islands.
El Gobierno unificará las 167 marcas de tomate canario que van al Reino Unido
