Planeta Verde

Location:

Michoacán, Mexico

Certification(s):

ICEA organic

FLO Fairtrade

Planeta Verde is a cooperative of 40 Fair Trade organic avocado, mango and grapefruit farmers in the state of Michoacán, Mexico. However, they invite producers from throughout the region to be part of the organization to obtain the benefits of Fair Trade.

Organic Benefits: Half of Planeta Verde members inherited their orchards from their families and 95% of producers are planning on passing on their orchards to future generations. Since organic cultivation promotes sustainable soil health, they are confident that they will be able to leave a valuable piece of land for their children.

Future Plans: Planeta Verde's main goal is to increase the number of members year after year. Thanks to their Fair Trade benefits and the their empowerment program, PLANETA VERDE is certain that many more small farmers will join their organization. The group will invest future social premiums strategically to ensure necessary professional development

How has Planeta Verde benefited from Fair Trade? Planeta Verde members recognize price stability as the biggest Fair Trade advantage. Regardless of the market price, they know that their production costs will be covered. The Fair Trade social premium rallies the producers around solving issues facing their association and overall community. In the past social premiums paid to these growers, when they were part of another Fair Trade coop, were invested in building a school for handicapped children, fixing impassable roads, outfitting public clinics with medicine and supplies and solving community water problems.

PDF:

Planeta Verde Info Card.pdf

Crops:

Avocado, Grapefruit, Mango

Our Growers Are Our Heroes

We got into this business because we wanted to help small scale organic farmers here at home gain access to the larger commercial marketplace, and to ensure their families and communities thrive. Over the past decade or so, we have endeavored to do this, step by step, with over ninety B.C. farms.

Our hearts still belong to the small scale growers. We have visited dozens of farms in B.C., working with growers to see them move to larger and more financially sustainable operations.

We feel encouraged by the impressive increase in consumer demand for organics and local. We also acknowledge that we might not be able to grow all our own food year round. Even more so now, as our climate changes, no harvest is a safe bet.

So over the years, we have extended our relationships with small scale farmers to include farms down the Pacific Coast, through Washington, Oregon and California, then on to Mexico and South America. Together, this network of growers keep us all fed year round. And for this we are grateful.