tenerife tropical fruit farming new era

Tenerife enters fifth era of agriculture with tropical fruit boom

Agriculture in Tenerife has entered a fifth era, marking a significant shift from the island’s historical monocultures. Following the cycles of sugar cane (late 15th to mid-16th century), wine (16th to 18th century), cochineal (19th century), and bananas and tomatoes (since the late 19th century), the new focus is firmly on tropical fruit. The surge in production of avocados, papayas, mangoes, and pineapples is so pronounced that the sector is embracing this new cycle with considerable optimism for the future.

Tripling in two decades

The area dedicated to these four crops has tripled over the past 20 years, particularly in the last decade. Tenerife has seen cultivation expand from 400 hectares in 2007 to 1,400 today. This transformation is accelerating with a recent push towards other tropical delights such as dragon fruit (pitaya) and passionfruit (parchita). While this “tropicalisation” has not yet reached the scale of the island’s flagship products—bananas, grapes, and potatoes—it is closing the gap year on year. The primary sector is clearly moving towards greater diversification and away from the dominance of single crops.

This shift is confirmed by the Canary Islands Association of Farmers and Ranchers (Asaga). According to the organisation, several factors are driving the boom in tropical and subtropical fruit cultivation: changing dietary habits towards healthier foods, the influence of other cultures, the availability of a diverse range of produce, promotion through media and social networks, a robust logistics infrastructure, and the decline of the export tomato industry. Asaga notes that avocado, papaya, and dragon fruit are leading this meteoric rise, a trend further supported by the archipelago’s subtropical climate and the phytosanitary protection afforded by a 1987 order that bans imports of these crops, thereby strengthening local agriculture.

Perfect adaptation to island conditions

Research and field trials have shown that many of these delicacies, which originate from hot and humid regions such as India, China, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Peru, adapt perfectly to the Canary Islands, finding similar conditions along the coast and in mid-altitude areas. Theo Hernando, Secretary General of Asaga, points to the crisis in the tomato sector as the primary driver of this change. “Tenerife’s countryside has adapted to the market,” he sums up. “The export tomato, known as the winter tomato, has disappeared from Tenerife because it is no longer profitable. All those plots of land have been taken over by tropical fruits, mainly papaya, but also avocado, mango, and pineapple.”

Demand for Tenerife’s papayas and mangoes is strong on the Spanish mainland and in countries like the Netherlands and Germany. This growing demand, combined with an established export network inherited from the banana and tomato trades, and having secured listings in some of Europe’s largest supermarket chains, reinforces a commitment that, according to Theo Hernando, “will only grow stronger.”

Numbers tell the story

The figures speak for themselves. The area under cultivation for Tenerife’s three traditional crops is declining, while exotic fruit is on the rise. Bananas remain the island’s number one crop, but have hit a 20-year low with 3,733 hectares under cultivation, compared to 4,242 in 2007, and production at its lowest in a decade. Even more dramatic is the decline of grapes, which have lost 70% of their area, dropping from 11,636 hectares in 2007 to 3,381 today. Potatoes, the third mainstay, are holding on but still in decline, falling from 2,356 hectares in 2007 to 2,260 today.

On the flip side, the area for exuberant fruits has soared. Avocado cultivation in Tenerife has more than tripled, from 225 hectares in 2007 to over 1,000 hectares today. Tropical pineapple has grown from 2.5 to 10 hectares, papaya has doubled from 110 to 234 hectares, and mango has increased by 33%, from 105 to 140 hectares.

A united voice for tropical fruit

In response to this momentum, the Association of Producer Organisations of Tropical and Subtropical Fruits of the Canary Islands (Tropicán) was formed exactly one year ago. Its president, Francisco José Echandi, describes the move as a “logical” step given the “drive” of the sub-sector and the “need for more strength and organisational capacity.” The new organisation represents over 1,100 farmers from organisations including Bonnysa, Cocampa, Coplaca, Sat Fruta Tropical del Noroeste, Sat Tejinaste, Garañaña, and Unextomates. Their combined annual production totals 19,169 tonnes, of which 14,408 tonnes are papaya, 2,770 are avocado, 1,165 are tropical pineapple, and 826 are mango.

Echandi highlights the “unity” achieved within the tropical and subtropical fruit sector. “This will lead us to have a single voice with public administrations and in all activities in which we participate,” he stated. He cited the recent recognition of Canary Islands avocado through a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) as an example of the “achievements” possible through “joint action.” Tropicán also prioritises agricultural research and innovation, strengthening its collaboration with institutions such as the Canary Islands Institute for Agricultural Research (ICIA), which is headquartered in Valle de Guerra, Tenerife.

A lifeline for a declining sector

This tropicalisation is not just adding diversity to Tenerife’s countryside; it is offering a hopeful outlook for a primary sector that has been in clear decline. The main hope is that it will halt the ongoing loss of farmland on the island. Currently, only 40% of the useful agricultural area is in production, which equates to 17,143 hectares out of a total of 43,000. Tenerife’s historical peak for cultivated land was in 1960, with 33,000 hectares. The abandonment of farmland began in 1990 and has worsened over the years, primarily due to a lack of generational renewal.

For Asaga’s Secretary General, the opportunity presented by exotic fruits is encouraging younger producers to enter the market. “The key now is a process of specialisation,” says Theo Hernando. “It would be very important to develop the capacity to create exclusive varieties for the island that would feed a growing demand and strengthen exports.” Of course, there is also the unpredictable nature of food trends. The avocado, or “green gold,” provides a perfect example. Its surging demand in Tenerife is being fuelled by marketing campaigns in the Americas that reached Europe about five years ago. While this fruit has been grown on the islands for a long time, the sector saw a collapse in the 1990s, forcing many farmers to grub up their trees. However, with the arrival of the 21st century, the industry was revived and plantations began to expand, spurred on by favourable profit margins.

Source

Scroll to Top