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Gustavo Orrala

Bresson

Hello, my name is Gustavo Orrala and I am the Food Safety Manager at Bresson S.A. in Ecuador. We grow organic mangoes on 120 hectares of land, near the Pacific Ocean, in a place with optimal conditions for mango cultivation.

We grow different varieties like Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt, Haden and Ataulfo. We also have conventional mangoes. We pack and export these, along with other tropical fruits, all over the world. In total, we ship 3.5 million boxes of fruit per year! Of course, we work with the highest quality standards as demanded by the international market. Of course we do not use agrochemicals in our organic cultivation. Instead, we use specially developed cultivation methods and biological and mechanical techniques to control weeds and pests. All in all, we are the main producer and exporter of organic mangoes in Ecuador.

What makes your products and the region they come from so special?
We are located in the west of Guayaquil, near the Pacific Ocean, 30 minutes from the port and 15 minutes from the future airport. The region has ideal soil, sufficient rainfall, plenty of sun and abundant water, which is very conducive to the cultivation and development of mangoes at all stages. This allows us to grow a wide variety of organic mango varieties here: Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt, Haden and Ataulfo. When growing, we use organic fertilizers that are certified to international standards. Our warehouses are strategically located for cultivation and transportation.

What makes your products and the region they come from so special?
We are located to the west of Guayaquil, near the Pacific Ocean, 30 minutes from the port and 15 minutes from the future airport. The region has ideal soil, sufficient rainfall, sunshine and abundant water, which is very favourable for the cultivation and development of mangoes at all stages. This allows us to grow a wide variety of organic mango varieties here: Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt, Haden and Ataulfo. During cultivation we use organic fertilisers that are certified according to international standards. Our farms are located in a strategic sector for both cultivation and transport.

How did you decide to go organic? And what has it brought you
Bresson has been a mango producer and exporter since 2000, we started with our first organic farm in 2018. We decided to venture into organic agriculture because of the high level of pollution that exists today due to the use of chemical products that are harmful to health and the environment. We decided to do our bit to help environmental sustainability and to be able to consume healthier food. Given the good results and the very good response on the international market, we decided to expand our organic cultivation areas. We now have 3 organic farms with more than 120 hectares of organic production. At first glance, the most visible benefits are the increased diversity of beneficial insects on the fields and the reduced pollution of the soil and water sources. These new conditions have improved the quality of life and working environment of our employees!

What do you like most about your work?
Definitely, being able to have direct contact with people and nature. The staff who work in the field are cheerful, modest people, very dedicated to their work, willing to learn new things and to interact with us. We always strive to school them and provide them with all the necessary tools so that they can carry out their work in the best possible way and are happy to do their job.

Are there other plans to make the company more sustainable?
Yes. One of our ongoing plans is the planting of native trees in the area, an activity that we are already doing for years on our farms and around them. In doing so, we attract various species of native birds that make this vegetation their home.

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soil

Without a doubt, our most important resource is definitely the soil. We need to provide a lot of care to maintain its fertility. Bresson takes advantage of biodiversity in the field, in particular the variety of earthworms that live in our soil, who provide organic matter for the soil, and thus help to maintain soil fertility and soil structure. For fertilisation we use organic fertilisers of the highest quality, which are made of naturally obtained compounds or come from our own natural resources.

biodiversity

We plant a lot of trees native to the area. We do this both on our farms and in the surrounding area, it is part of our system of continuous improvement. With this activity, we attract various species of birds native to the area, as well as insects beneficial to the cultivation and the land, thus providing a habitat for these animals, which make this vegetation their home.

individual

Bresson provides its workers with on-going training on the job. We also provide training in occupational health and safety, first aid, correct use of protective equipment, fire drills and other disaster drills. We have a special department in charge of looking after the welfare of our employees, which is run by a social worker. This is the place where our staff can express their doubts, questions or suggestions. Bresson has the "SMETA" Social Responsibility certification, which assures our customers that we are committed to the welfare of both our workers and the environment.

society

At Bresson we look after the wellbeing of our workers and their families. All contracted personnel have social security, which provides them with all the health and other benefits to which they are entitled by law. All workers sign an employment contract in which all working conditions, remuneration, working hours, working hours, etc. are stipulated. The area where we are located benefits from the economic boost that the company created. It provides employment to many of its inhabitants and generates sales for local businesses.

economy

In Bresson we care a lot about our staff. We offer a pleasant working environment with fair wages according to sector norms, and also food, transport, social security and on-going training in the work they carry out within the company. The farms are located in rural areas, the people who work on them are from the area. In this way we generate employment in the region where we are located, as well as at our processing plant which provides a very important amount of employment for the community.

climate

On our organic farms, fewer applications mean that less farm machinery is used, so there is less emission. Weed control is carried out both manually and mechanically, thus reducing machinery emissions. The fruit for Eosta is transported mainly by sea, and we work with shipping companies committed to environmental sustainability.

water

The water sources on our farms are the official irrigation canals. We use a micro-sprinkler irrigation system, which is controlled by means of valves and distributed uniformly in all the plots in order to make efficient use of the water. Irrigation is carried out by the hour according to the requirements of the cultivation stage. We have a policy of safe water management, training personnel who carry out irrigation work so that they understand the importance of water conservation.

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