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Banana was introduced to Tenerife and other Canary Islands from Indochina and subsequently marketed by the British a century ago. Until recently up to 70 percent of Spain’s bananas came from Tenerife. Bananas from the island are very good quality, but its small size means that it’s almost unsaleable on the European market.
Production of bananas in Tenerife is a lot more labour intensive and the costs of growth are much higher. In the other countries, like Costa Rica no irrigation is necessary and wages are lower.
Spain guaranteed a market for the bananas up to the end of 1995, for ten years after it joined European Union.
Now Tenerife exports potatoes, tomatoes, flowers, exotic fruits, tobacco and wines.
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