According to Luis Leris, head of the Technical Office of INIA in Limari and articulator of the Tres Rios Nut Producers Association, which brings together farmers from the community of Monte Patria, Rio Grande, Rapel and Mostazal, the Fourth Region produces the best nuts in the world. The association was established six years ago under the technology transfer program implemented by the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA). Currently, they produce more than 250 tons of nuts per year, which they market to large national companies. And they want to continue growing.
The project began discreetly in 2008 with only 12 members who started the association, which is currently composed of 60 people, who already are already projecting themselves as the Limari Nuts Cooperative. In six years, they managed to improve crop management, irrigation, fertilization, and significantly increase their production. The first year they managed to produce 8 tons in total. This season their production has reached 250 tons, i.e. a 900% increase since the program began.
The Nut Technology Meeting was held in the village of Tulahuén, and was attended by nut producers from Ovalle, Montepatria, and Punitaqui, among others. The activity included a tour of Agricola San Clemente, where INIA professionals presented methodologies, technical problems and their resolution. There were also presentations about other issues, such as the efficient use of irrigation water and the management of foliar and root activity enhancers, among others.
Luis Leris, the manager of Group for Technology Transfer in Limari highlighted the associations unity and said they would be successful. "I trained them to be a group. I started with eight members in 2008, and in time we ended up with a group of 60 farmers. I'm leaving a group that has a good production potential," he said.
Meanwhile, Darwin Luna, manager of the Limari Nuts Cooperative, emphasized that they wanted to continue increasing their production in the coming years. "In 2008 we produced 8 tons and we expect that we will be producing 550 tons of nuts within 10 years," he said.
Finally, the regional Secretariat for Agriculture, Andrés Chiang, highlighted the commercial opportunity that this sector had for farmers in the region. "The work being done by the INIA helps and empowers this sector so that it can be sustainable and so that it can grow over time and improve its profitability. It is an alternative to traditional crops, such as table grapes, avocados, and mandarin in the province," he said.
