Merida will be an Organic Fruit Central of EU
The region of central Mérida hosts the largest organic fruit greening of Europe. The signature Biofruex S. A. built in Arroyo de San Servan facility that processed about 5,000 tons per year for nectarines, peaches, plums and a small amount of pears.
The production will be exported to countries in northern Europe, including Germany, Sweden, Norway, England and Holland. In these areas, the consumption of organic agriculture reaches 4% of the total, while in our country to just 0.5%.
As Casallo Paul says, CEO of the company, the project was born of Biosphere Reserve Agricultural Transformation Society, formed by six partners, including farmers who own some 200 acres of organic fruit farm in the Vegas Bajas and Vegas del Guadiana.
These plantations were started in 2003, which will reach full production this year and thereafter.
To process this fruit, it is Biofruex, in which partners farmers grouped in the union of organic fruit in Extremadura contributing 51%, while the remaining 49% is distributed equally between the Business Corporation Extremadura and the public Sofiex, the Junta de Extremadura.
Biofruex has already begun construction of the plant for handling and packing the fruit in an organic farm in Arroyo de San Servan situated a few meters from the A-5.
Casallo As Paul explains that the project will market the largest volume of organic fruit in Europe under one brand. The intention of its proponents is that the plant becomes operational in the spring of 2006. Due to the characteristics of the crops will be in service from May to August and during September, October and November, which will keep the fruit in chambers.
Biofruex S.A. generates four jobs and fixed seasonal equivalent to 70 permanent jobs.
The total project investment is 6 million, half of which went towards the orchards and the other half to the construction of central processing.
Getting the idea
Casallo explains, "under proposition is José Ramón Rituerto, known agronomist of prestige in our region and head coach of the current project, both did a Master's degree in Organic Agriculture at the University of Barcelona for a year. "
Thanks to that experience and knowledge of the matter, "we concluded that it was possible to adapt the production of these fruit species in Extremadura."
With regard to the location of the plant, they sought a location equidistant from the holdings of the partners. "The ideal was the region of Merida, for its great hits both now and in the future," says Casallo. Thus, transportation routes to northern Europe may well to France via the A-5 through Madrid or the future A-66 to the border of Irún.
For the realization of this project, the CEO highlighted the facilities offered by the City of Arroyo de San Servan and the economic contribution of the Extremadura through Sofiex and Enterprise Corporation. "Without their help, we would not able to undertake this investment."
Source: Journal of Extremadura