The CASI Cooperative is pleased with the increase in tomato prices; partly the result of its support is to a greater concentration of supply, deemed essential to become more competitive against large distributors, while allowing growers to obtain the best possible prices. CASI is confident that this upward trend will continue.
CASI brings more than 2,000 growers together and expects to increase tomato sales this campaign, surpassing the 250 million kilos. For this reason, the cooperative purchased new facilities and opened an airport.
For the agricultural sector to continue growing CASI considers it essential to export to new markets, to innovate, to be flexible to adapt to the new needs of consumers, and especially, to concentrate supply to be more competitive.
Within this framework, an Integral Management Plan was introduced three years ago to improve in the areas of production, management and marketing, and the clearest result is in the figures: last season, the cooperative reached 200 million Euro in revenue and sold 225 million kilos of tomatoes.
CASI is working to unify the fields of La Cañada and Levante under a great, internationally-recognised tomato brand. For the 2013/2014 campaign, the cooperative aims to increase its number of associates by 10 to 12%, as well as its total acreage.
"It is important for growers not to enter the market individually; concentration is the only way to improve prices, and the latest increases are a testament to that."