Cotrijal injects R$21 million into the economy

Cotrijal Cooperativa Agropecuária e Industrial presented this Thursday (25/02), during the General Assembly held with reduced capacity and sanitary precautions, the financial balance for 2020. Despite the failure of the summer harvest and, especially, the pandemic, the entity announced the best revenue in 63 years of existence. The result alleviates the cancellation of Expodireto 2021, one of the six major agricultural fairs in the country, but marks a new phase for the entity. The renewal of the brand and the diversification of business, with investments in management and innovation, in addition to the industrialization of products, are proof of this. 
Cotrijal ended 2020 with R$2,4 billion in revenue, growth of 5% compared to the previous year, when it reached R$2,3 billion. Leftovers available grew 53% compared to the previous year, reaching R$21,4 million – in 2019, R$14 million. The full distribution of surpluses to the cooperative's almost 8 thousand members was unanimously approved during the Assembly. The amounts will be transferred proportionally and distributed in kind to the cooperative members. This represents an injection into the region's economy.

The president of Cotrijal, Nei César Manica, highlighted that the excellent result is due to cost management, new business opportunities and the increase in the number of producers working with the cooperative. “The professionalism of our team and the producer’s trust were essential for this exceptional performance,” he said. “For 2021, with growing demand and good prices, the expectation is for a new record harvest, which comes with productivity and excellent results. We will continue to invest in business diversification and in training our associates and employees to meet market demands.”

The vice-president, Enio Schroeder, valued the cooperative nature of the entity to justify the result, even in such a challenging year. “It is the best system in the world [cooperativism] and over these 63 years we have ensured that our members have the best working conditions, profitability and productivity. So in a year with so many challenges, where agriculture didn't stop, Cotrijal's efforts bore fruit. We will continue working and taking care of ourselves. Up ahead we will have won this stage more”, he added.

Expodireto, expansion and new strategic planning

The year 2021 marks the beginning of Cotrijal's new strategic planning for the next five years. The process is part of recent investments in management and professionalization of the management team. Having overcome the cancellation of Expodireto this year, even with the approval of health protocols by the State government, a precautionary measure for visitors, employees and members, the cooperative focuses on the new brand, launched last week, and on new areas of activity. The new identity is a signal to the market that the entity is renewing itself, maintaining the tradition of its fair, already scheduled for 2022.

The direction for new opportunities ranges from innovation projects in agribusiness – the successful Arena Agro Digital is an example of this –, investments in venture capital, participation in the SuperCampo marketplace – the only cooperative in Rio Grande do Sul to be part of the group – and the industrialization of products, in a partnership with Languiru. Opportunities in the transport and logistics sectors are also in Cotrijal's sights.

Furthermore, the remarkable performance in the regions where it is present, strengthened by the cooperative spirit constant in the essence of the entity, must be expanded. The activity plan includes consolidation actions in the Cruz Alta region, where the cooperative recently established itself, which increased the number of municipalities served to 33 – there are now 55 Cotrijal units. Also, special attention to cost management, credit and agricultural insurance, dairy basin, coordinated with the industry, infrastructure to serve members, training of producers, alliances with suppliers and customers, training of employees and political action