In order to generate economic alternatives in the Northern Region, sunflower cultivation will start in a contract farming scheme between a private company and a group of 80 producers from the municipalities of Huejuquilla el Alto and Mezquitic.
In this regard, the head of the office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER Jalisco), Salvador Álvarez García, reported that in this exercise the secretariat has acted as a mediator, and has channeled resources to promote this purpose of inducing new products that have great demand among regional agribusiness, especially if it is considered that the country has a deficit in oilseeds.
In this regard, the mayor of Huejuquilla el Alto, José Acuña Ruiz, said that there is a good expectation among the group of farmers involved, after satisfactory results were obtained in the demonstration plots of the previous cycle.
He mentioned that the support of three million pesos from SADER Jalisco was a key factor for the acquisition of the agricultural implements of the technological package that will be applied in the cultivation, which will include a tractor and a drone in the fumigation phase.
He explained that this exercise of this cycle supposes to specify the approach that was had with the Jalisco company Sesajal so that it considered the two Jalisco municipalities, since this corporation already has sunflower suppliers in the Zacatecan municipality of Fresnillo, a town two hours from Huejuquilla. Sesajal is a leading company in several agroindustrial products based on oilseeds, such as sesame, chia, and peanuts, among others.
Ruiz explained that according to studies carried out and the results of an experimental crop, the agroclimatic conditions of the region convinced the company, so that now it is expected to advance with the commercial planting of this oilseed.
He added that in the case of his municipality, in addition to the involvement of producers from the municipal seat, farmers from the indigenous community of Tenzompa were also included.
In the technological package that will be applied in this crop, the use of precision seeders to strengthen the density of plants according to the objectives pursued by the company and the farmers is also highlighted, added the mayor.