Biechteler, president of the cooperative, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture for supporting producers to receive organic production certification, and noted that “we are a group of small producers who from the beginning aimed to produce a differentiated product, free of chemical products.
This effort for organic production has been supported by a participatory certification system, which promotes mutual surveillance among producers to ensure compliance with agroecological practices. At the local level, the cooperative has not only focused on production, but also on job creation.
Biechteler highlighted that “we are generating a source of employment, because we give the entire packaging and labeling system to the women of the town,” which underlines the positive social impact they seek to generate in their community. The artisanal process followed by the cooperative has allowed the creation of jobs, especially for the female sector, in a challenging economic context.
In addition, the cooperative has made significant progress in its infrastructure, building its own drying room and mill to process yerba mate, which has been crucial to maintaining the quality of the product. The expansion of its offer aims to include yerba mate composed with chamomile and other products, as well as the production of honey in collaboration with the Feco Api cooperative of Buenos Aires.
Regarding marketing, the cooperative has begun to export its products, reaching markets in Mexico, France and with a view to Japan. Biechteler emphasized the importance of expanding yerba mate consumption internationally, stating that “if other countries increasingly consume more yerba mate, prices will automatically level out.” This strategy seeks to mitigate the problems of overproduction and falling prices in the local market.
The El Colono cooperative, through its focus on agroecology and diversification, continues to strive to consolidate itself as a benchmark in the production of organic yerba mate, generating employment and contributing to the sustainable development of the region.
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2024-10-03 14:30:25