Post by account_disabled on Feb 27, 2024 4:35:00 GMT -5
Crisis that caused all their production costs to rise: electricity, water, transportation, food for the cattle, while the market set iron and immovable purchase prices that They left no room for survival. Thus, four farms, in Villa del Prado, Griñón, Leganés and Valdemoro, join together in a cooperative with the main objective of creating their own brand of milk, progressively diverting the greatest possible amount of their production to it. In this way, and reaching the consumer, they are the ones who control the prices of the final product, which are always fair. Ten years ago, in the Community of Madrid there were around 100 livestock farms. In 2024, there are 29 livestock farms left. This drastic reduction is due to multiple factors. On the one hand, the generational change of retiring ranchers is not taking place. «The new generations do not want jobs 24/7, every day of the year. So the children of the ranchers do not want to continue with such a sacrificial business," says Alvaro Peironcely, manager of Leche Madriz.
But also, the market situation leaves few margins for this complex business. «If there is not a project like this one from Leche Madriz, which provides enthusiasm and contains the mechanisms so that a fair price is paid, the future of the sector is uncertain. In general, I think the dairy sector is being underestimated. We are not aware of the process necessary for its production. Milk has a lot of work behind it: production, recycling, packaging, logistics and storage Oman WhatsApp Number containers... This is another of the reasons why the project has emerged, to ensure that livestock farms do not become extinct in Madrid," continues Peironcely. This problem is not limited to milk alone. The same thing happens, in general, with the entire primary sector. In the last 40 years the GDP of this sector has fallen from 11% to 2.6%. The four farms that are part of Leche Madriz meet two requirements, they all have the Animal Welfare certificate and produce in the community of Madrid. "We do not close the doors to any livestock farm that wants to join the project," adds the manager. The project was presented a few days ago, by the Community of Madrid.
And now, at the end of January, it hits supermarket shelves. Cartons of whole milk can now be purchased at Hiper Usera. At the beginning of February, semi-skimmed and skimmed products will arrive. And in a few weeks, the network will expand to other large stores. In this first moment of implementation, Leche Madriz produces UHT whole milk - milk that has been processed at high temperatures - "but we are not at all closed to developing the production of fresh milk and yogurt, in accordance with the way the project evolves" , adds the manager. Likewise, they do not rule out entering the HORECA channel (hotels, restaurants and cafes) with specific products for this. On the other hand, the four farms have a high level of technology. Griñón, for example, has state-of-the-art technology for collecting milk, so that it is a robot that milks the cow when it feels the need to be milked, a practice that de-stresses the animals, and improves The product quality. Likewise, robots are in charge of cleaning the stables and collecting manure to give it a new use. All cows are monitored with a collar, which measures different parameters related to the animals' health: the daily route they carry out, the number of bowel movements, feeding or body temperature. This technology favors farm productivity, but also animal welfare. «Work has changed a lot.