Interview: José Enrique Rodarte Salazar Producer of Promotora Agroindustrial y Comercial del Tamazula

 

  1. Could you tell us how you started whit the agriculture?

After graduating from Agronomy of the Technological Institute of Advanced Studies of Monterrey, in 1966, I decided to take a course related to agriculture at the University of Florida and once it finished, I returned to Culiacan. Since then I became involved in the family business, practically at 21 years of age.

I started in the field, not properly as a crew chief; Supported the supervision of workers and cultivation. All this allowed me to learn a lot about the field, the management of pests and the vegetables that we cultivated.

  1. How have you participated in the different agricultural organizations?

Start my participation in the National Union of Producers of Vegetables (UNPH), forming part of the council as representative of Sinaloa.

Later, I supported the Culiacan Farmers’ Association (AARC) as a vocal, then as treasurer and finally I had the opportunity to be president, from 1983 to 1986. During this season, I also served as president of the Neighborhood Roads Committee and Commission for Research and Defense of Vegetables (IACHR). In this last one I had the opportunity to manage some research programs in collaboration with the University of Indiana; We worked for the first time with the varieties of tomatoes that were precursors of the present varieties with high shelf life.

From 1986 to 1989 I was president of the Confederation of Agricultural Associations of Sinaloa (CAADES).

Personally, I find it quite interesting that the new generations are participating in the management of agricultural organisms. The current problem of agriculture is such that what is required is people who are dynamic, young, moved and above all have a vision very much in the future.

“Growing by serving” was the motto that characterized him during his time as president at AARC. What did he mean by that?

At that time, the AARC provided different services to farmers such as: the hardware store, gas stations, grain collection not as strong as today, etc.

Growing up in service was more than bringing all these services closer to the producers. What I did during my administration was to follow up on all these programs. We acquired a plot of land adjacent to the current AARC site where a second grain warehouse was installed and we purchased a plot of land in Navolato where the collection of packages from the Campo Limpio Program is currently being carried out.

Finally, we seek to expand the reach of the Association by serving the producers.

  1. What do you consider to be the main challenges facing producers in Sinaloa?

In the vegetable sector, the main challenge facing producers is to remain competitive; Especially in terms of cost. This is directly related to productivity and this in turn with technology and, in that regard, I consider that Sinaloa has been a precursor. In addition, it is not only a question of keeping production costs low, but of maintaining quality and adhering to this product safety.

The agricultural must comply with a series of conditions that consumers themselves are demanding as traceability; Certifications in question of security and terrorism requested by the United States government, our main market; And, last but not least, issues related to day laborers, not counting child labor, providing them with adequate living conditions, etc.

We also have the challenge Eleven Rivers represents; In addition to all the requirements, certifications and other requests mentioned, we must offer a plus to the market, a degree higher than requested and give that added value to our product, which is the interesting thing about this program.

What type of strategies have you used to keep the Tamazula Agroindustrial and Commercial Promotora in the market?

We retired from growing vegetables for 10 years and returned between 1999-2000. It was during this time when much of the changes were presented in relation to safety and we had to put the accelerator, even though we started to plant practically less than a hectare.

Since then we have been involved and we have put forward issues that the market requests and we are preparing for future requirements.

Today we have different certifications in safety, good agricultural practices; We have fulfilled the requirements of non-child labor, we have expanded the infrastructure in the shelters, we provide better childcare and school services to our children, etc.

Sowing vegetables requires a team that provides a follow-up and that documents, in addition to carrying out, each of the tasks that are carried out within the company in an appropriate manner.

In short, it is a race that takes in parallel to what is the production that, in the end, is what really generates income.

  1. What do you consider to be the main challenges facing producers in Sinaloa?

In the vegetable sector, the main challenge facing producers is to remain competitive; Especially in terms of cost. This is directly related to productivity and this in turn with technology and, in that regard, I consider that Sinaloa has been a precursor. In addition, it is not only a question of keeping production costs low, but of maintaining quality and adhering to this product safety.

The agricultural must comply with a series of conditions that consumers themselves are demanding as traceability; Certifications in question of security and terrorism requested by the United States government, our main market; And, last but not least, issues related to day laborers, not counting child labor, providing them with adequate living conditions, etc.

We also have the challenge Eleven Rivers represents; In addition to all the requirements, certifications and other requests mentioned, we must offer a plus to the market, a degree higher than requested and give that added value to our product, which is the interesting thing about this program.

  1. What type of strategies have you used to keep the Tamazula Agroindustrial and Commercial Promotora in the market?

We retired from growing vegetables for 10 years and returned between 1999-2000. It was during this time when much of the changes were presented in relation to safety and we had to put the accelerator, even though we started to plant practically less than a hectare.

Since then we have been involved and we have put forward issues that the market requests and we are preparing for future requirements.

Today we have different certifications in safety, good agricultural practices; We have fulfilled the requirements of non-child labor, we have expanded the infrastructure in the shelters, we provide better childcare and school services to our children, etc.

Sowing vegetables requires a team that provides a follow-up and that documents, in addition to carrying out, each of the tasks that are carried out within the company in an appropriate manner.

Anyway, it is a career that takes in parallel to what is the production that, in the end, is what really generates income.

  1. In your experience, what would be your main recommendations for farmers in Sinaloa?

I am nobody to recommend to so much big tiger that there is here in the state; Really the farmers of Sinaloa are people very prepared, informed and updated in every way.

What I dare to recommend is that we continue in the same sense that we are going so far and, above all, promoting that awareness about the need and the goodness of agricultural organisms.

We must join them more and more, take advantage of this union, be present with our different interests and points of view and reach common agreements that, justly, allow us to continue our business profitably and efficiently, implementing new technologies and maintaining ourselves Competitive.