Andrew Wainer
Policy Advocacy
Representatives from a Chihuahua small- and medium-size
apple producer organization meet with CRS and to discuss the
construction of a cold storage unit that will allow the farmers to
save money getting their apples to market during peak demand.
The FDC’s democratic structure and openness to innovation facilitated the implementation of multiple projects
supported by CRS that help farmers lower their costs and
increase their incomes. Additional components of the For A
Just Market project include creating apple tree nurseries so
that farmers can seed and grow more profitable breeds of
trees.
CRS is also working with the FDC to build local cold storage units so that after the apple harvest, FDC members will
not have to pay others to store their crops while they wait for
the best time to sell. The cold storage building, already under construction, will be the temporary home to 2,280 metric tons of apples. Barrett said all the elements of the For A
Just Market project are meant to ensure that apple profits stay
with the small farmer producers rather than middlemen.
“Otherwise the expense of going into the retail market is so
high that it’s not nearly as profitable,” he said.
Perhaps the FDC’s most important program to increase
small farmers’ incomes is a “revolving loan” program in
which members can draw on credit—typically not available
to small farmers in Mexico. The fu