The Canary Islands government has taken decisive action to confront a new agricultural threat: the detection of phylloxera, a vine-destroying pest that historically devastated European vineyards in the 19th century. At the end of July, 67 outbreaks were confirmed in Tenerife, prompting officials to establish a new scientific-technical committee dedicated to understanding and managing the problem.
A Technical Response to a Historic Threat
The committee, unveiled this week, will bring together dozens of specialists, researchers, and representatives from both national and international institutions. Among its members are the two Canarian universities, Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, the ICIA research institute, the CSIC, the Canary Islands’ Ministry of Agriculture, professional engineering colleges, and representatives of the wine and oenology sectors.
International collaboration will also be part of the strategy, with universities from Bordeaux and California—both regions with long histories of battling phylloxera—participating in the group.
Narvay Quintero, the Canary Islands’ Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, emphasized that this committee will operate on a strictly technical basis, free from political interference. “Only technicians and scientists will be part of this body. We want to let them work and provide us with clarity without any political influence,” Quintero said.
The group will meet at least twice a year to promote measures aimed at protecting the Canary Islands’ unique wine heritage, preventing the spread of the pest to other regions, and developing strategies to sustain the sector.
Current Situation in Tenerife
So far, 67 confirmed outbreaks have been identified, all in Tenerife. Approximately 95% of these are concentrated in abandoned lands within the Tacoronte-Acentejo region, with additional cases in Tejina-Valle de Guerra. Importantly, the pest has only been detected in the leaves of the vines; it has not yet reached the soil or roots, where it can cause the most damage.
“If it reaches the roots, it is concerning,” Quintero warned. The committee’s early focus will be to determine whether the phylloxera in Tenerife is the same strain that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century or a mutation unique to the Canary Islands.
Concerns Within the Wine Sector
Local wine producers are already on high alert. Carlos Lozano, a La Palma-based oenologist and president of the Canary Islands Technical Association of Oenology, acknowledged that the outbreak has generated significant concern. “For the Canary Islands, this is new,” he said, noting that while phylloxera also exists in Madeira and the Azores, it has never before been identified in the Canarian archipelago.
Lozano added that the region’s wine industry is already facing severe challenges, and the emergence of this pest adds further pressure. “The objective now is to make sure it doesn’t spread any further across Tenerife,” he said, while commending the Ministry of Agriculture for its “very good control work” so far.
He also urged continued vigilance in case the pest appears in other parts of Tenerife or spreads to other islands in the archipelago. Globally, regions such as California and Australia have learned to coexist with phylloxera, but the Canary Islands are only beginning to confront this reality.
Preserving a Unique Heritage
Wine has deep cultural and economic importance in the Canary Islands, where volcanic soils and unique grape varieties give rise to internationally recognized wines. The arrival of phylloxera poses a threat not only to local agriculture but also to this heritage.
The creation of the scientific-technical committee is therefore a critical first step in ensuring the islands’ vineyards can adapt to the challenge. Whether through containment, adaptation, or long-term research, the Canary Islands are determined to protect a sector that has defined its landscapes and communities for centuries.
