Equilibria Agro, a new Colombian producer and exporting company, has just shipped their first 24 tons of limes to the United States market. "Our new lime plantations of 300 hectares will export 70 containers to the US and Europe this year. We will double this next year as our new trees come into full production," states Juan Pablo Duque, CEO of Equilibria Agro.
(on the front right) Juan Pablo Duque, CEO of Equilibria Agro with his team.
He says Equilibria is more than just a lime grower. Duque describes them as a 'carbon negative Climate-Agri-Tech ecosystem'. Their aim is to not only export, but they are driven by their mission, "to revolutionize agriculture and empower rural communities in Colombia. We're dedicated to accelerating sustainable agricultural development in Colombia. Through our innovative approach, we're not only tackling the challenge of rural poverty, which currently affects 46% of the population, but also ensuring environmental responsibility throughout the entire process – from nursery and production to integration and international trade."
The company's 70 containers will see a split of exports between mainly the US and Europe, while they have other markets in sight as the lime trees come into full production. "We are just starting to move the fruit. We send 70% to the US and 30% to Europe. Our limes are sent to Rotterdam and from there they distribute it across Europe. As we grow our production the Middle East will be an option. The Emirates is a growing market that has a very good price for limes. That's a place I would like to study, where we should try to establish relations," states Duque.
Equilibria developed a proprietary EQA (Extraordinary Quality Agriculture) system via an app on the phone that Duque hopes will be a game-changer. "It's a technological marvel that guarantees not only the exceptional quality of our limes but also a high quality of life for the producers and the planet. This translates to education, technical assistance, formal employment opportunities, fair wages for farmers, premium prices for export produce, and a dedication to eco-friendly practices. Through technology and knowledge, we aim to expand this initiative to 2,000 hectares, driving sustainable development in our agricultural community. Our ultimate goal is to scale this initiative not only across Colombia but also throughout Latin America," explains Duque."
Equilibria is an operation that has close to 100 formal employees, a 120,000 lime tree nursery, 650 hectares on two farms of which 300 hectares are already planted and coming into full production. They also have a phone application for farm management and integration with small and medium growers and a virtual exporter's school for producers.
He says the success of this initial shipment to the US is due to the support from ProColombia. "Their invaluable assistance has paved the way for Equilibria to share our limes with American households. We have limes all year round. If there's a supermarket that is seeking a stable supply and traceability, not only where the fruit comes from, but they are truly interested in doing the operation with the right actions for the planet and people, that's what we are building here. We want to build a community where we can help each other and think of a long term vision for the wellness of everybody," concludes Duque.
For more information:
Juan Pablo Duque
Equilibria
Tel: +57 310 8630769
Email: jduque@equilibria.com.co
www.equilibriaagro.co