Spain has three stronger cooperatives

Associative Entity Priority is the spearhead of the food industry. The AN Group is a strong, diversified and well-sized cooperative example, as Ovispain and DCOOP, the other two groups that are part of this official figure who drives a professionalized cooperative model with relevant to produce and market global dimension and therefore generate more value, employment and wealth.

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, said that the AN Group (Natural Power) is “an example of contribution to rural development and territorial balance, and a brake on offshoring”. As he stressed, the cooperative sector has three associated entities and Priority (Ovispain, DCOOP and AN) “which are the spearhead of the food industry and a clear example to follow”

Isabel García Tejerina presided today at the headquarters of the Ministry, delivery to AN Group recognition as Priority Associative Entity, in a ceremony also attended by the president of the AN Group, members of the Governing Council, the Director General of Agrifood Cooperatives of Spain and secretary General of Agriculture and Food Ministry.

In her speech, García Tejerina pointed out that this is the third recognition by the Ministry, and is “a decisive step” in the implementation of the Law of Cooperative Integration and other associated entities Agrifood character, which aims to promote a model cooperative professionalized, with relevant to produce and market global dimension and therefore generate more value, employment and wealth.

AN Group

Also, García Tejerina has highlighted the long tradition of cooperative AN Group, its growth over time and adapt to changes, which has made him an example of modern and dynamic management.

According to detailed, AN is composed of 157 members, of which 146 are cooperatives of first grade, second grade 9 and 2 limited partnerships. And its geographic scope covers 8 autonomous regions.

Meanwhile, the Priority Associative entity that is recognized today consists of 118 member cooperatives of the AN Group, located in 17 provinces 6 Autonomous Communities: Aragon, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Extremadura, La Rioja and Navarra.

In this regard, the minister stressed the social and economic character of the Group, which has more than 30,000 producers turnover of over 775 million euros. Specifically, AN is the first cooperative cerealista Spain to market more than 1.3 million tons.

He also noted that it is one of the top five poultry operators in Spain, where it is a leader in innovation, quality, traceability and packaging of chickens. And at the same time, it sells pig white coat, has a powerful section of fruits and vegetables, and is the first independent cooperative fuel operator in Spain, as well as supplying fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and feed for animal feed.

In short, “AN is characterized by its commercial security and protection work of the partners in their production lines,” besides generating direct employment for more than 1,400 jobs.

Priority associated entities

Moreover, the minister said that the three priority associated entities recognized until now include strategic sectors for Spanish agriculture, such as oil, wine and cereals, “the classic Mediterranean trilogy”, complemented with fruits and vegetables. To the minister, it is in Spain leading sectors worldwide.

In addition, these three entities are also references in important sectors of our livestock such as sheep, poultry and pigs, which have made great efforts to open foreign markets.
In this regard, García Tejerina has ensured that Spain needs strong, diversified and well sized cooperative enterprises, such as Ovispain, DCOOP and AN, “to consolidate and expand the possibilities for Spanish food industry”.

Promotion of associative integration

Moreover, the minister said that recognition as Priority Associative entity is a “highly effective” instrument that facilitates access to national funds or the Autonomous Communities provided for the promotion of associative integration.

Thus, for the period 2014-2020 it has a total public expenditure of 256.7 million euros, considering the funds from EAFRD and provided by the Ministry itself. The minister has also made progress in the coming days the call for aid from the Ministry for investments in industries (40.5 million euros in 2016 and 2017) and for demonstration and information will be published in the Official Gazette, worth 236,000 this year . For García Tejerina, this aid will help facilitate even more innovation and internationalization of our products.

For his part, the president of the AN Group, Francisco Arrarás, expressed his satisfaction for this recognition, and thanked the Ministry their work and collaboration. In his speech, he stressed that Arrarás agri-cooperatives contribute to territorial balance, preserve the environment, and create wealth and employment in rural areas. It has also ensured that cooperatives offer consumers the closest, fully drawn and safe products.

Source: MAGRAMA