Environment

We have preserved more than 1,000 hectares of native forest, which is equal to 30% of our gross area, approximately.

In Cartama we understand sustainability as the competence to use the natural resources in a conscious, responsible way, without exhausting them or exceeding their renewal capacity. In that way, we ensure that future generations will have access to them.

ECOLOGICAL INVENTORY

We created a series of ecological inventories for the sustainable management of the agroecosystems in our Hass avocado orchards. 

During phase 1, done in the orchards of Alto Bonito, La Pradera, Playa Rica, and Teresita we found 26 mammal species, 29 herp species (amphibians, salamanders, and reptiles), 145 bird species, and almost 557 varieties of insects. That, without taking into account the 113 flora species among which some are endangered.

We have 98 bee hives in Antioquia, Guática and Aranzazu.

Hives per productive unit

By 2022, we expect to grow the capacity of the hive capacity to 1.081.

It is estimated that the honey production is 1.916 kg in 2020 and 2021.

Renewable energy

As a part of our purpose, we are working on a solar panels project to replace the power generation from traditional sources with renewable ones.

Benefits

The system will generate 22.900 kWh / monthly, between 60% and 70% of our energy needs. This will be equivalent, in 25 years, to 2,025 tons of carbon or 170.067 planted trees. 

Phase 1

In May 2020, we started operating in the Packaging Plant where, because of the panels, we were able to reduce the plant’s interior temperature by 2ºC.

Phase 2

In June 2020, we set up garden centers focused on the generation of energy for their irrigation system. This will have a 76% power autonomy (1.001 KwH / month) which will allow us to have from 4 to 5 hours of pumping, guaranteeing the quality of the vegetable matter.

Phase 3

From August 2020, we installed crops in Sinai, which will have a life cycle of 25 years, approximately.

The environmental benefits are:

Playa Rica

Developed since December 2020 for 25 years, the approximate life cycle of the project.

Certifications

BASC:

Purpose: This certification promotes safe trade through security standards applied to the global supply chain.

Initial certification: year 2017
Certification validity: december 14, 2021

Rainforest Alliance COC:

Purpose: International organization that seeks a sustainable world through the use of social and market forces to protect nature and improve the quality of agriculturist’s lifes. It is identified by the use of the seal, which allows us to recognize and choose products that contribute for a better future for the people and the environment.

Initial certification: year 2019 (active)

GLOBAL G.A.P:

Purpose: Internationally recognized standard for the safe and sustainable production of food to benefit producers, retailers and consumers in all parts of the world.
Initial certification: year 2016

Smeta “4 Pillars” Labor, environmental, OSH and ethics / Sedex:

Purpose: Organization that promotes ethical trade, which checks the working conditions of the supply chain, therefore the company has had the Smeta audit since 2017, which helps us to operate in a responsible and sustainable manner, protects our collaborators and allows us to cater ethically.

 

BRC FOOD:

Purpose: World standard for food safety, which gives us the guideline for our product to comply with the standards of: authenticity, legality and safety. Guaranteeing that there are no consequences on our final consumer’s safety.

Initial certification: year 2020

System B:

Purpose: They are companies with objectives: economic, social and environmental. The purpose is to respond to social and environmental problems on a voluntary basis, including them legally into their statutes.

Status: In process

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National orders

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R + D

Strategic allies

Universities

Research center

Other companies

Purpose

Contribute to the fulfillment of the superior purpose through the cross-wise research, development, and innovation of all of the company’s areas, establishing strategic alliances with different actors of the sector, and aiming at self-sustainability.

R+D is currently developing 15 research projects, among which is the AVOLAB.

Research projects

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Avosolutions

Purpose

Avosolutions is a service platform whose main function is to bring financial accessibility, technological adaptation, and sustainable agriculture to our allies. The purpose is to develop the Colombian countryside through the interaction between the capital needs, the infrastructure and our partners’ knowledge, and the risk reduction for the fund’s providers.

Project foundation

Financial access

Only 61% of the rural areas’ population has financial services vs. 98% of the rural areas’ population in developed countries. 5 out of 10 farmers need working capital to cultivate.

Technological adaptation

Es 2 veces más costoso el acceso a capital en zonas rurales vs. ciudades. Esto es debido a la ausencia de garantías y altos costos para conseguirlas 7 de 10 colombianos que viven en áreas rurales no usan tecnología.

Sustainable agriculture

Only 10% of the avocado farmers have the Rainforest certificate.

International orders

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    AvoLab

    It consists of a Hass avocado innovation lab, which is unique in the world. It delivers technical analysis and training that guarantee the highest standards of quality in our production chain.

    A lab unique in the world specifically focused on Hass avocado.

    Supported by the experience of an interdisciplinary group of professionals and Cartama’s knowledge, acquired by its 20 years’ path in the sector.

    The Hass Avocado Innovation Laboratory – AvoLab, will bring the small, medium, and big producers closer to science, technology, academia, research, and innovation, which will allow the positioning of the country as a producer at the sector’s vanguard.

    AvoLab’s impact in the sector will be:

    Services
    portfolio

    Specialized technical assistance

    With the back-up of the Cartama’s Experience Group, with more than 20 years’ experience in the avocado sector.

    Soil analysis

    Complete soil analysis

    Biological

    Mycorrhizal colonization, mycorrhizal spore count, identification of pathogens in vegetable tissue.

    Organic matrices

    Complete foliar
    Complete pulp
    Individual element

    Aqueous matrices

    Natural water analysis
    Treated water analysis

    Allied laboratories

    Commercial contact

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      Administrative plant

      Our administrative plant has a team of professionally prepared members who are also convinced of our purpose, to fulfill all of the necessary functions in our company.

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      Processing
      plant

      Packaging plant. We have a Logistical Center in the Eje Cafetero, where we carry out controls of quality, selection, and classification of the fruit, for it to be distributed to various destinations around the world.

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      Garden center

      To guarantee the best quality in our Hass avocado, we decided to take over the sowing of our trees, to ensure the fruit’s best genetics. Nowadays, we have a garden center, bigger than 4 HA, with the best technology. As a part of our conviction for environmental care and the development of responsible agriculture, our garden center stands out by keeping 20% of the native forest among its area.

      Department Municipality Description Garden center’s name ÁTotal area(HA) Forest area (HA % of forest HA 2021 seedling capacity
      Caldas Súpia Supía is a municipality located in the northwest part of the Caldas department.

      The municipality of Supía, Caldas, is locally known because of its Ferias de la Colación, celebrated every two years (for seven years) in July, in the traditional bridge of San Pedro y San Pablo.

      This municipality has an altitude of 1,183 metersabove sea level. Average temperature: 26º C
      Vivero 4.31 0.82 19% 500.000

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      Crops

      (Production Units)

      We have our crops in 12 municipalities of Colombia, which allows us to know and fully control each phase of our avocados’ process and also to guarantee the availability of the fruit during most of the year.

      Altitud 1328 metros sobre el nivel del mar Temperatura media: 28º C
      Department Municipality Description Orchard´s name Total Area (HA) Forest area (HA) % of forest HA
      Antioquia Amagá Altitude 1591 meters above sea level Average temperature: 22º C El Imperio 70,00 35,60 51%
      Caramanta Altitude 2050 meters above sea level Average temperature: 16º C La Cumbre 108,41 39,26 36%
      La Toma 97,63 36,52 37%
      La Arabia 57,34 15,78 28%
      La Pastora 44,04 12,68 29%
      Jericó Altitude 1910 meters above sea level Average temperature: 24º C La Mama 268,37 83,81 31%
      Las Camelias 30,95 7,29 24%
      La Granja 11,02 1,79 16%
      Las Brisas 55,48 18,11 33%
      La Hermosa 66,62 17,90 27%
      Rionegro Altitude 2130 meters above sea level Average temperature: 18,5º C La Escondida 14,39 2,20 15%
      Sonsón Altitude 2475 meters above sea level Average temperature: 13º C La Aleja 107,20 32,16 30%
      Támesis Altitude 1638 meters above sea level Average temperature: 25º C San Francisco 142,63 40,90 29%
      Pirineos 297,34 95,06 32%
      Valparaíso Santana 121,11 28,74 24%
      La Suiza 173,36 39,35 23%
      Caldas Aranzazu Altitude 1920 meters above sea level Average temperature: 19º C San José 196 59,61 30%
      Santa Elena 99,73 32,77 33%
      Altomira 85,53 36,18 42%
      Planes 204,65 52,91 26%
      Miraflores 121,84 53,52 44%
      Corozal 116,01 28,17 24%
      El Roble 223 66 30%
      Anserma Altitude 1790 meters above sea level Average temperature: 22º C El Sinaí 224,5 89,7 40%
      Riosucio Altitude 1783 meters above sea level Average temperature: 23º C Tres Cruces 124,16 41,51 33%
      Guática Altitude 1820 meters above sea level Average temperature: 21º C Villa Laura 31,67 4,6 29%
      Huertos Alto Bonito 231,68 9,31 30%
      Playa Rica 77,75 69,92 23%
      La Unión 23,95 17,75 27%
      La Teresita 21 6,36 9%
      El Bosque 8,32 1,9 12%
      La Montañita 21,65 1,04 30%