Grupo Patagonia
Video
We are growers of organic apples and organic pears from Argentina and Chile. We all have our own individual Nature & More homepage so if you want to learn more about our business, simply enter the grower specific code.
We at Agro Roca strongly believe in the fundamentals of organic farming. My father Enrique who was one of the pioneers in organic growing here in Argentina is a staunch believer of farming together with nature instead of against it. The farms of Agro Roca actually comprise several orchards totalling about 300 ha located in the province Rio Negro in Argentina. Most of these orchards are between 2 and 5 ha in size and are separated from each other by a row of poplars that serve as windbreaks. For organic growers they also act as barriers to protect their fruit from chemical sprays, which may be applied by their neighbours.
PAI / Fruempac Farms is an association of four family-owned farms located near General Roca in the Rio Negro Valley of Argentina. Together we farm almost 100 ha of organic apples and pears with an irrigation system from the river. The oldest orchard was planted in 1957 and the most recent one in 2002. In 1970, four of us decided to join forces to work together and learn from each other and jointly we established a packing facility in order to export our fruit. Shortly thereafter, Franco heard about organic practices during a visit to Italy. When he began implementing organic practices on his farm, we also developed an interest and decided to do likewise. Eventually, we hired a full-time agronomist to help us completely convert our farms, which were certified organic in 1999.
La Deliciosa farms belong to the Bartusch family and are located in the Rio Negro Valley in the province of Neuquen, Argentina. The homestead has been in the family for three generations (with the fourth generation growing up rapidly). In fact, La Deliciosa has grown steadily over the years and now comprises of 200 ha of cultivated land the majority of which is planted with apples, pears and stone fruit. Recently, some annual crops such as garlic, onion, and pumpkin have also been incorporated to increase bio-diversity.
Sofsa is an association formed in 1990 by a group of 5 organic growers near the southern town of Chillan in the Biobio region of Chile. Chillan is a typical agricultural center with extensive production of apples, kiwis, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, asparagus as well as cereal production. The growers are located in the Nuble province in the fertile valley of Itata. The valley is surrounded by the imposing Andes Mountains to the east and the coastal mountains to the west, both of which provide natural barriers from outside influences. The region enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and cool winters. Together with clean water from the Andes, this makes this region ideally suited to organic fruit production.
The Rio Negro valley has always had an ideal climate for apple and pear production. The climate combined with fertile soil, a protective valley and the two rivers make it a perfect fruit growing region. However, production only really expanded in 1922 when the railroad was constructed and markets could be reached. Many of the original packing houses where build next to the railroad to ensure a smooth transition by train to the Buenos Aires port.
The majority of Comfrut farms are located around Chillan, south of Santiago in the Bio-Bio region, in Chile's central valley. Due to previous volcanic activities this region has some of the most fertile soils in Chile. Thus it is not surprising that Chillan has become an important centre for agricultural production. The main products from this region include wine, grain, fruit and vegetables.
