In a banana farm in La Orotava (Tenerife), ALDI presented its initiative to value the work on sustainability of Canarian producers and good practices in the cultivation of bananas in the Canary Islands; an action that is part of its Sustainability Plan for 2023.
The company has worked with La fast, ALDI's only Plátano de Canarias supplier in the archipelago, and ASPROCAN, the management body of the IGP Plátano de Canarias (the only banana recognized with the European quality seal of Protected Geographical Indication), to analyze the lines of action that are being applied to ensure the sustainability of banana cultivation in the region.
“Since 2013, the Canary Islands banana is the only agricultural sector in Spain with a carbon footprint certification that not only includes the production, but also the distribution, and commercialization in the peninsula,” stated Ricardo Torres, the manager of La Fast. “Thanks to its environmentally friendly production, the Canarian banana generates 120.71 grams of CO₂ per kilo, which is a much lower volume than other crops,” he added.
Esther Dominguez, head of the technical department of ASPROCAN, highlighted that the cultivation of bananas in the Canary Islands is carried out complying with the highest quality and environmental standards, guaranteeing compliance with the strictest working and social conditions established by the European Union. In addition, its production is very valuable both for the conservation of the archipelago's landscape and the protection of its native flora and fauna.
Eduardo Mas, ALDI España's Director of Quality and CSR, stated: “ALDI is convinced of the importance of our contribution as a company in the distribution sector to help reduce the effects of climate change." “As such, we pay special attention to how the cultivation systems of certain foods - such as the Canarian banana - are oriented to be more sustainable and friendly to the environment,” he stated.
Source: aldi.es