Arico Co-op Leads Canary Grape Output, Urges Water Crisis Action

Despite a severe drought that led to one of the worst harvests, the Arico cooperative lost 100,000 kilos of grapes but still managed to produce 308,000 kilos, making them the largest producer in the Canary Islands.

The region's farming sector desperately needs more political attention to solve its biggest long-standing issue: water. For over 30 years, water scarcity has plagued agriculture, and it will continue to do so unless quick decisions are made.

This year's grape harvest was 100,000 kilos smaller than last year's, mainly due to the drought. Without the water shortage, we believe we could have harvested a million kilos. Even so, our 308,000-kilo harvest made Cumbres de Abona the top producer in the Canary Islands.

Progress is incredibly slow. We met with Blanca Pérez, the Councillor for Natural Environment of the Tenerife Island Council, this week. However, things are moving at a snail's pace. The technicians who studied the feasibility of restoring the dam haven't even contacted us, despite us being the ones pushing for this project.

Given the current water scarcity, lack of rain, and the slow response, we proposed a solution: pump 100 cubic meters (or barrels) of water from the treatment plant to the Intermediate Canal, via Montaña de Yaco. We believe this simple step could temporarily solve the water problem for farmers in the South.

Yes, there was a response. They mentioned needing to create a project, but we pointed out that the pipes are already manufactured and just need to be assembled. Clearly, more commitment is required. I'd like to see the President of the Island Council, Rosa Dávila, personally involved.

No, the only real solution is the Barranco del Río dam. It would store high-quality water from rain and runoff, or alternatively, it could be filled with desalinated water.

I'm not optimistic, though I'm more hopeful than four years ago when I was completely pessimistic.

Yes, I even saw it overflow one night. This project is crucial for the region and could greatly benefit the entire south, all the way to Guía de Isora. Most of the expensive work is already done; only the reservoir needs to be built, using materials readily available on site. Then it needs to be waterproofed and fitted out. Finishing this dam would revive a vital piece of infrastructure, ensuring irrigation for southern Tenerife. It would also restore Arico and Fasnia's historical role as water providers for the whole region, a fact supported by the Tenerife Hydrological Plan, which identifies this southeastern area as having a water surplus.

Olive production increased significantly this year. We've already surpassed 150,000 kilos and could have reached 300,000 kilos if we had enough water.

The main problem isn't generational change or anything else; it's water. And we have water – the sea is full of it. I've been discussing this issue for over 30 years and have even written to the King about it.

Yes, our produce is excellent quality. It takes a lot of hard work, as we've been dedicated to this for many years and constantly improving, but we've reached a high standard.

The land here is very giving, producing high-quality crops.