Founder of the Flor de Doñana red fruit farm, located in the Natural Park as stated in its name, Juan María Rodríguez Borrero bears the ecological stamp with pride and conviction, in its fruits and in the depths of its being. This is perhaps what the jury of the Núñez del Prado awards granted by the Spanish professional association of organic production Ecovalia saw when it decided to award the precious award to Juan María in the Career modality.

Satisfaction and pride were mixed in equal parts in the words of gratitude that the founder of Flor de Doñana dedicated at the awards ceremony, which took place in the town of Baena. Flor de Doñana offers products from sustainable agriculture, with 100% organic production and strives to innovate, seeking both new products and entering emerging markets. In this interview we will discover the details.

–You have just received the international Núñez del Prado award from Ecovalia, what does this distinction mean for you and for Flor de Doñana?

–It is a very special award, for me they are like the Oscars of the ecological world, in addition I have always been very close to Ecovalia and the Nuñez de Prado family.

- Why do you opt for organic farming?

–I have always been linked to the Doñana National Park and to agricultural activity, I aspired to dedicate myself to something related to it. I finally studied agricultural engineering, and it was clear to me that I had to do it in the most respectful way.

–You pride yourself on being 100% ecological, has it always been this way or did you start little by little?

Yes, since the beginning of the company, 22 years ago. We took advantage of a project of the Junta de Andalucía for the promotion of ecological agriculture that served us as the beginning. Growing organically is a daily challenge, you have to believe in it, beyond a merely business or commercial issue, it is a way of life. Knowing that with your activity you are helping to stop climate change, to conserve the ecosystem of your environment and to stop rural depopulation.

–Its commitment to organic production also involves a philosophy of social responsibility with a commitment to reconciling work and family life, equality and fair relationships between workers. All this, is it possible to bring it to reality or does it sometimes remain an intention? How do you get it?

–It is based on daily work, of many years. Promoting a good work environment is something that starts from the top, this requires a lot of communication with employees, listening to their needs, clarifying the rules of coexistence, in addition to having specific protocols and a team of lawyers to avoid abuse or conflicts of any type.

- What varieties do you use for your organic crops?

–Mainly Rociera in strawberries, Versailles and Majestic in raspberry and Snowshaser in blueberry.

- Do you test new varieties?

–Yes, in fact, we are an official farm of the Junta de Andalucía for trials of new varieties of organic red fruit plants. We have been collaborating with Ifapa for many years. As well as with different universities and organizations in projects on new varieties.

–The sector is faced with the challenge of looking for an alternative to plastic packaging, how do you prepare for this challenge?

–It is complicated, because biodegradable materials are not as available as plastic. We have been using biodegradable and compostable tubs for 4 years, from certified sustainable forests. The price of this type of material in some cases is up to 11 times more than R-PET.

–And on the question of water there are some conflicts in the surroundings of the Doñana National Park with fear of the overexploitation of the aquifers, how do you resolve the supply for your crops?

–We have legal wells and a community of irrigators. For us, not wasting a drop of water is one of our main bases. For this, for 8 years we have calculated, in addition to the Carbon Footprint, our Water Footprint, so we know how to improve campaign after campaign.

–They expanded their product portfolio with the first organic red wine from the province of Huelva. In that area they have more projects, please tell us a little bit ahead.

- Due to the pandemic we have paralyzed everything a bit, we are also preparing a vinegar, but we do not know the exact launch date.

Markets for organic

–How is online sales working? What percentage of the total sale does it represent?

–We have been with the online store since 2017, and it has grown by 25% this last year. For us it is a service, a way of bringing the berries ecological to whoever wants to compare them.

–Where do you sell your berries, in which countries? Do you have plans to open new markets?

–In the entire European Union: UK, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands… We are looking to export something to Southeast Asia, but it is still a project.

–How many cooperatives do Flor de Doñana make up and what area do they occupy?

–It is an SL, and we have about 100 hectares.

- What production and what sales did you have last year?

-The production was over 4 million kilos and that meant sales valued at about 17 million euros.