Edgar Salmeron Pacheco

Fruticola Hersa

Hola, my name is Edgar Salmeron Pacheco and I grow organic grapefruits in the south west of Mexico for Nature & More

Thanks for buying our fruit. Our farm Fruticola Hersa was set up back in 1998. At that time we were not aware of organic farming techniques and started growing conventional grapefruits. In 2009, after some very tough years and insecurity many growers in this region left their farms in search of other forms of income so that they could feed their families and keep them safe. Fortunately at that time, I had the opportunity to work for an organic fruit exporting company which allowed me to learn the “ ins and outs” of organic agriculture. In 2015, when I returned to the family orchard it was therefore logical that I wanted to convert it to organic. The orchard was in a terrible condition however so we had to invest a lot of money, time and effort to bring it to a high standard. You can imagine how proud I was when we received the official organic certification in march 2016.

Interview

What can you tell us about your orchard and the region?
Edgar: my farm is located near a small village called “ Pancha Lopez” in the Michoacan state in the south west of Mexico. The village is really small and has around 150 inhabitants. The region is known for fruit production particularly limes, Mexican lemons, mango, papaya and also sugar cane. Unfortunately we are the only organic farm in the region.

Why did you decide to switch to organic agriculture?
Edgar: Having worked for an organic fruit exporter, I had learned a lot about the advantages of organic agriculture and realized it was the best and healthiest manner to grow fruit both for consumers as well as people working on the farm. After a lot of hard work, we received our organic certification in march 2016.

What do you like best about your job?
The satisfaction, the peace and tranquility that working in the field gives me. I also love the way the crop develops step by step in a pure and natural manner.

Sustainability flower

Tabs

soil

To keep our soil around the grapefruit trees healthy we are using special organic fertilizers. Furthermore we ground is covered with grass that not only feeds the soil but also helps combat soil erosion.

biodiversity

Compared to our conventional neighbours, we are farming in harmony with nature. Although we have no official scientific proof we have seen much more wildlife in our orchards compared to other farms. Apart from a wide variety of insects and birds other friendly visitors include hares, squirrels, iguanas and huillotas. To stimulate natural biodiversity we have planted hedges with indigenous plants. These hedges also help fight soil erosion and act as a wind shield.

individual

We look at health in three different ways. Firstly, our product, organic grapefruits are rich in vitamins and minerals. Studies show that grapefruits help reduce cholesterol and accelerate metabolism. Furthermore, this delicious fruit helps to improve the appearance and texture of the skin and at the same time helps you stay healthy for example by helping prevent the flu.

Secondly we are concerned about the health of the people working in our fields and that is why organic is such a good choice. Thirdly by choosing to farm organically we are thinking about the health of the planet and are not harming the surrounding ecosystem, degrading soils, polluting water or contributing to climate change by avoiding artificial fertilizers.

society

We are still a very small company and do not employ any permanent workers. We hope to grow in the coming years and that will mean we will start employing people. It is our intention to treat these future employees with the greatest respect and freedom. Our activities however do have a positive benefit for the local community and we hope the impact will become even bigger as we continue with our activities.

climate

Our organic grapefruits are exported by boat not with airplanes. Furthermore, on the farm we try and keep our tractor use to a minimum. Because we farm organically we are indirectly saving huge amounts of energy that is needed to produce artificial fertilizers.

water

We are currently using a flood groove irrigation system and try to be as careful as possible with this important resource. Furthermore, we intend to develop an even better irrigation system that allows us to reduce and optimize the consumption. Our water system does not have a negative effect on the drinking water provision in the region.