Civil Guard to closely monitor imported subtropical products to curb phylloxera
The measure is part of a collaboration between the Guard’s leadership and the Canary Islands Government, within a national campaign
Press Release – The Director General of Agriculture, Juan Ramón Rodríguez Marín, and the commander of the Nature Protection Unit, Julián Arribas, met to strengthen cooperation between their agencies for controlling illegal fruit imports and combating phylloxera.
The Government of the Canary Islands, through its Directorate General of Agriculture, and the Civil Guard, via the Nature Protection Unit (UPRONAZ), are reinforcing institutional collaboration to tackle the fraudulent import of subtropical products into the archipelago and to monitor the movement of plant material in order to prevent the spread of phylloxera—a harmful organism currently found only on the island of Tenerife.
During the meeting, the Directorate General of Agriculture requested support for a nationwide supervision campaign that will verify compliance with application requirements for phytosanitary product operators. The initiative covers the entire supply chain, from retail points to the final applicator, whether they are service companies or the farmers themselves.
“The irregular entry of external productions such as avocados, mangoes, plantains or other tropical and subtropical fruits violates current regulations that forbid their entry, creates unfair competition and poses an unacceptable risk of new pest introductions, which ultimately leaves producers completely unprotected,” said Director General Juan Ramón Rodríguez Marín.
Commander Julián Arribas added that agricultural pests dramatically reduce both the quantity and quality of harvests, especially given the archipelago’s unique environment. He emphasized that the involved institutions must coordinate material and human resources to safeguard human, animal, and environmental health, as the Nature Protection Service has been doing across all islands by preventing the illicit trafficking, storage, and irregular application of phytosanitary products.
Other topics discussed included the coordination of support resources needed to eradicate and contain phylloxera, specifically the control of vine plant material and the management of pruned vegetation during this season. The meeting also involved the Head of Plant Health Services, Antonio González, Captain Carlos Sánchez, and First Corporal Javier Morrondo.
The regional government has already allocated the necessary human and material resources to maintain an active fight against the spread of this harmful organism—still confined to Tenerife—working closely with the agricultural sector and the island councils to protect the Canary Islands’ viticultural heritage.