Cooperatives are betting on technology and research to increase … – Globo.com

In Guarapuava region, farmers work and invest in the land, together in cooperative system from the 1950s Today the focus is on research. In laboratories researchers work year-round in the selection and evaluation of new strains of grain. “In this context we have condition to identify what kind of fungus exists in the seed and to quantify and provide a better product,” says researcher Noemir Antoniazzi.

For barley producers the demands are even greater. That’s because this grain is industrialized within the cooperative, where it becomes malt for the brewing industry. Approval of the seed goes to the field. And the research work continues. The cooperative rely on precision farming advice. Prior to this technology, the management of fungicides and fertilizers in the field was done by the average calculations. Today, a cooperative industry is changing the average data for accurate information. “The variability exists only in traditional agriculture is not about us. And with the help of the machine corrected values, “explains Etore Reynaldo Francisco, researcher.

Robert Renhofer is a cooperative farmer who displays positive results with the use of these technologies. Apply fertilizer and fertilizer only in areas that really need it. “In fact in the early years in the case of liming halved the required amount and productivity over the last 10 years has had an increase in winter crop 3% per year,” says the producer.
Currently there are 600 cooperative members who supported for research are increasing production. For barley, for example, productivity jumped 1 ton per hectare in the 1970s to 4.5 tonnes in recent years.

Tradition cooperate also shares space with other activities. Thirty-five cattle farmers came together for 7 years, in the region of Guarapuava, to gain market with a differentiated product. Now total 113 breeders with 80 points of sale in the state. In 2012, single beef production has become the production of certified Angus beef.

These farmers came together, chased information and closed partnerships. “The Iapar came early in enclosure classification program, Emater in the production and organization of PCD – short livestock. And so we are improving, more and more production, “ensures Edio Sander, cooperative president.

To sell with title of ‘prime beef’, the management of young steers is special. And work together with institutions enables the monitoring of silage and various other processes, by researchers. So with the use of science to the service of the field and the producer in favor of cooperation, Paraná farmers pave the way for a future even more promising. “I’m managing to make the most profitable property and I’m proud of himself could say I helped build the alliance,” says the farmer, Silvino Caus.