A GROUP OF CANARIAN FARMERS, ON A BUSINESS AND INFORMATIVE TRIP TO MURCIA AND ALICANTE, VISIT ECONEX
ECONEX NEWS
A GROUP OF CANARIAN FARMERS, ON A BUSINESS AND INFORMATIVE TRIP TO MURCIA AND ALICANTE, VISIT ECONEX
9th of June, 2014
This article was written by Mr. Donacio Cejas Padrón, the ECONEX delegate for the Canary Islands. It was published on the 9th of June, 2014 on the website: www.elhierrodigital.es

A business and informative trip has been organised by the Oficina de Extensión Agraria de Güimar and coordinated by its technician Mr. Oscar, which took place in Alicante and Murcia. Fortunately for me, I was able to be included on this trip. Cayo Armas and his brother Rafael also accompanied us, which in a way both are a representation of our island ‘El Hierro’ on this important business trip.
As well as everything that we have learnt on this trip, we also feel as if our circle of friends has increased because all of the travel companions are wonderful people. In our free time in the evenings, we had long conversations with everyone expressing their different points of view on life, the difficult times that society is currently experiencing, political ideas etc. Female representation on this trip was Miss Carmen Gloria Ferrera, owner of Las Bodegas Ferrera de Arafo, who also enjoyed herself and learnt a lot from this excursion.
The main priority of this trip was to visit several flower and fruit growing farms. The truth is that we all came back with the impression of having learnt something new, which was also thanks to the well organised trip prepared by Oscar and his team. We were attended to by excellent professionals on our trip. Every day a different team showed us the magnificence of Murcian agriculture, the innovation and modernity of their crops and the prospects that Spanish agriculture has to offer, as much for the national market as well as for exportation. We were thankful to Mr. Antonio Pato Folgoso, Mr. Jesús García Brunton and Mr. Miguel Ángel Fernández, civil servants of the Instituto Murciano de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario y Alimentario and other technicians. With the explanations they gave, I hope that this will help us with our local crops.
I was surprised by the vast orchards of peaches, apricots, plums, Saturn peaches, figs, oranges, lemons, pomegranates, vegetables, flowers, almond trees and grapes for producing table wine, as well as the distribution and exportation centres for both national and European markets. Amongst those visited, I particularly remember La Productora de Flores SAT Los Rita and La Cooperativa Alimer, the latter producing 24 million kilos of stone fruit, 12 million litres of milk and dairy products, 120 million kilos of vegetables, 62 million kilos of animal feed, 400,000 kilos of cheese and 12 million stems/plants etc.
The manager accompanied us through all of the facilities in the company, which is no doubt one of the most important in Murcia and Spain. He also explained to us the advantages of unity and collaboration from the farmers on such an important project. I am really proud of my Herreño status and the undoubtable qualities of our towns, but I have always regretted the lack of unity from the people in terms of business and work organisation. I believe that it would be ideal in La Frontera if there was only one packing and exporting company for our products, so that the company could expand and report better results for us all, just like we see in La Cooperativa Agrícola del Campo de Frontera. It is a great example of a company that defends and helps us all in marketing our products. And, in spite of the current difficulties, the cooperative continues with its work and has an annual turnover of about 6 million Euros.
In conclusion, we all came back feeling very happy with our tour around the fields of Murcia and Alicante. And it is true that we have learnt something which we will now try to apply to our own crops, with the aim of making improvements and innovating as much as possible.
As part of the trip’s programme there was a visit to the head office of SANIDAD AGRÍCOLA ECONEX, S.L., leader in the production and sale of pheromones, attractants, traps, etc. We were welcomed by its founder and CEO Mr. Francisco Martinez Campillo together with his wife and part of the company staff, as well as some of his closest relatives. We took a photo at the entrance of the building, next to the great volcanic rock weighing four tonnes. The rock has travelled from El Matorral in El Hierro and is a symbol, a representation of our island in this corner of Murcia.
In the ECONEX conference room, Mr. Martínez presented a general overview of the company. He showed us information to demonstrate the extent of his commercial operations in Spain, as well as in 40 other countries where the company is present. He also led us through his exhibition room, showing us all of ECONEX’s products. Whilst we were there, he shared a fond memory of our island with us, which he has visited twice. Mr. Francisco also remembered his friends, Leoncio Morales who has sadly passed away and in particular, Mr. Tadeo Casañas who he remembers with fondness. To end the day, the company offered us some refreshments, which served the purpose of getting to know one another better and at the same time enjoy a pleasant visit.
Rafael Armas, our dear friend and oenologist stayed a few days in Granada and other provinces to study wine varieties, especially those similar to the Verijadiego variety from our island. It is the quiet and discreet work of Rafael, who strives to improve our vineyards and our wines that is very much appreciated. It must not be forgotten that this crop is still of great importance to El Hierro, so for this reason it deserves to be properly cared for. I sometimes think that Rafael is not valued enough in El Hierro, who enjoys great personal and professional prestige outside of our island.
Grape harvest from 2013 on El Hierro Island:
Amount produced by El Golfo: 178,589,98 kilograms = 60% of island production
Amount produced by El Pinar: 68,824,65 kilograms = 23% of island production
Amount produced by Valverde: 47,989,36 kilograms = 17% of island production
TOTAL AMOUNT: 295,403,99 kilos
These figures demonstrate that the wine sector is still an important part of our island’s economy, and that El Hierro wines are appreciated inside and outside the island. In times of crisis and uncertainty, we have crops that will continue to help us get through them faster.














