Don Ricardo has become the first table grape grower-exporter in Peru to be granted the Blue Certificate (Certificado Azul) for its efficient and sustainable use of water.
The scheme, which is run by the Peruvian National Water Resources Authority (ANA), part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, with the support of the Swiss Government, also recognises the company’s commitment to helping its local community achieve the same objective.
To obtain the Blue Certificate, the company installed moisture sensors throughout its 1,000ha of table grape production, leading to an average reduction in water usage of 26 per cent of each production cycle.
Don Ricardo also set up a project, ‘Let’s talk about sustainable irrigation’, providing technical advice and financial support to 53 small producers surrounding its orchards in the Ica region to encourage them to invest in more efficient irrigation system at their farms.
The Blue Certificate follows the company’s participation last year in GlobalGAP’s add-on audit Sustainable Programme for Irrigation and Groundwater Use (Spring) in a pilot project for avocados developed with the support of Nature’s Pride.
“We are very proud that Don Ricardo has been recognised by the National Water Resources Authority as a sustainable company, respectful of the environment and keeper of the most important natural resource for our activities and life: water,” said the company’s president Ricardo Briceño.
Eurofruit Magazine
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