The Canary Islands and the central government have been in multiple discussions to restart the import of potatoes from the United Kingdom. These discussions became essential after imports were halted due to the discovery of a beetle larva in tubers from an English village on July 11th. A consensus has been reached to institute additional control measures: washing the potatoes, repackaging them in new sacks not in fields but in cooperatives to eliminate soil residue, and implementing traceability systems to identify the origin of each shipment.
Narvay Quintero, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock, and Food Sovereignty, provided these updates in a regular press briefing. He noted that the Canary Islands have an annual consumption of approximately 170 million kilograms of potatoes, of which 99 million kilograms are locally produced. However, from late August to mid-November, the Islands typically rely on imports. He clarified that a health alert had been raised with the European Commission, and the pest issue has now been resolved, as certified by the United Kingdom last week.
In a recent meeting, other resolutions were also passed. Based on the proposal of the Regional Minister of Tourism and Employment, Jessica de León, there were amendments to decree 89/2010, dated 22 July, which governs tourism intermediary activities. These amendments comply with guidelines related to package tours and linked travel services, thereby enhancing consumer protection and legal clarity in the tourism sector.
Additionally, the regional executive approved a decree that empowers the same Minister to authorise direct subsidies exceeding 150,000 euros for Canary Island municipalities under the Social Employment Programme (PES) for 2023-24. This programme, with a budget of 30 million euros, aims to employ 3,000 individuals from vulnerable communities.
As for the labour calendar of 2024, the draft decree specifies public holidays and non-working days across the Canary Islands. Importantly, 8 December, the day of the Immaculate Conception, is excluded as it falls on a Sunday. A one-month period is now open for local authorities to designate local public holidays.
Appointments have also been made in various departments. Concepción Ramírez has been named Director General of Dependency within the Regional Ministry of Social Welfare, and Ángel Alexis Montesdeoca has been appointed Director General of Legal Services. Ramírez holds a degree in Sociology from the University of La Laguna, and Montesdeoca is a law graduate from the Complutense University of Madrid.
