While the economic focus of southern Gran Canaria remains on hotel balance sheets and room profitability, a less visible but crucial trend has been bolstering the survival of the agricultural sector. Records of European aid for 2023 and 2024 reveal a sustained transfer of EAGF and EAFRD funds that not only compensates for the outermost region status recognized in Regulation 228/2013, but also strengthens agri-environmental measures in one of the territories most affected by climate change and the intensive tourism model.
The main recipient of European funds in San Bartolomé de Tirajana is once again Francisco Rodríguez Pérez e Hijos, SA, which received over €1,4 million during the two-year period analyzed. In 2024 alone, it received €731.433, overwhelmingly comprised of direct aid for the outermost regions (€688.038) and a supplement of over €43.000 allocated to agri-environmental and climate measures co-financed by the EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development). This figure represents a slight improvement over 2023, when it received €719.804, consolidating its position as the backbone of the agricultural sector in the mid-altitude areas of the municipality.
The banana company La Vereda, SA remains another major player in the local agricultural landscape. In 2024, it received €672.455, of which €644.860 corresponded to direct compensation related to its status as an outermost region and €27.595 to environmental sustainability programs. This figure reflects a slight decrease compared to 2023, when the company received €716.794, a change that does not alter its structural role in the production of southern Gran Canaria.
HZ Agrícola maintains a stable line of credit, approaching one million euros across both fiscal years. In 2024, it closed with 482.613 euros compared to 497.645 euros in 2023. Its track record includes a co-financed investment in physical assets in 2023, close to 20.000 euros, aimed at the technological modernization of its farms—a key element for competing in an environment dominated by the intensive use of tourist land.
In the livestock sector, Ganadería Acodeli has proven to be a vital component of the local food system. The company received €69.214 in 2024 and €74.189 in 2023, combining direct aid with a significant component of climate measures, representing approximately 25% of its EU funding. Its case illustrates how intensive livestock farming is attempting to adapt to the environmental standards demanded by Brussels without disappearing from the production landscape of southern Europe.
Beyond the major recipients, the agricultural sector is sustained by a network of medium-sized producers who guarantee employment and territorial continuity. Raquel Perdomo Pérez is among the most striking examples, receiving €42.875 in 2024, almost double her 2023 figure. José Miguel Ortega Suárez maintains stable EU income, between €43.000 and €47.000 annually. These are joined by SAT Llanos del Corral and the companies linked to Bodegas Las Tirajanas and Bodegas Tirajana, which receive more modest aid focused on viticulture and adding value to local products.
The distribution of funds also reflects the European Union's rigorous administrative procedures. Producers like Ramón Ortega Sánchez manage amounts around €24.000 annually, with a high dependence on climate measures from the EAFRD (European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development). The system also incorporates recovery and correction mechanisms: from the €12.137 reimbursed to Antonio Alejandro Suárez Perdomo to negative adjustments recorded under identification codes such as ES#00194501. This serves as a reminder that, even in the Canary Islands' main tourist municipality, every euro of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) is audited to ensure that the green belt surrounding the asphalt and hotels does not wither away.
