The company chaired by Elías Olmeda censors the brakes on the development of vital projects
Concern about the effect on crops due to the lack of rain has also reached the company-cooperative Champinter, which is one of the main economic engines of La Manchuela and produces more than 50 percent of the fresh mushrooms consumed in Spain.
Its president, Elías Olmeda, who stressed the strong dependence on cereal straw in its composting plant, stated that "we can reach a shortage if it does not rain." Despite everything, he assured that the cooperative is supplied with compost for this year and expressed his concern about the reserves for the next campaign.
In this sense, he warned that "one of the consequences would be an increase of up to 15% in raw material costs that will be passed on to farms and could affect the price of the product."
Champinter, located in Villamalea, has made the circular economy its productive engine, considered that the mushroom is the ideal partner to create a circular economy, returning to the field the raw materials previously used in the generation of substrate. «Our cooperative management model implies this circular economy; since we collect the product from the field, we process and manufacture it and we convert the final product into fertilizer for the field”.
On the other hand, Elías Olmeda also highlighted that the company has planned to produce mushrooms in 11 cycles instead of eight, "to be able to produce the crop in three days when more than 35 were needed before, all thanks to technological innovation," he added. . As for the final products on the market, "we are working - he said - on fourth ranges and we are going to start fifth ranges" which involves the production of ready-to-eat items.
Compared to the fourth ranges, which are products that are already prepared, fresh, clean, chopped and packaged for consumption, the fifth ranges present prepared, cooked and packaged dishes for distribution. "The fifth ranges are dishes already cooked with mushrooms, cheese and ham and different spices, which can go into the microwave so that they are ready to eat in a few minutes," explained the president about these items that will be on the shelves in a short time. establishments.
Finally, Olmeda referred to the urban issues that slow down Champinter's progress. To advance in these projects it is essential "to be able to grow in facilities and modernization", assured Olmeda, who indicated that it is necessary to have a reserve of industrial land "that we do not have now", while stressing that "urban regulations must make it easier for partners can build primary ships.”
"We cannot continue developing fourth and fifth ranges of the product - he stated - while certain issues affecting the industrial estate are not resolved and although they are on the right track, they currently prevent these projects, which are vital for us, from being developed".
In this sense, Olmeda said that the cooperative works hard and was hopeful, although he considered that bureaucratic procedures "should not be a burden for the company." He also warned of the need for "electric power to be able to develop the industrial estate" and pointed out that the lack of supply could delay the projects.
