Conaprole Celebrates 90 Years with Strategic Export Expansion
Conaprole, Uruguay's leading exporter, celebrated its 90th anniversary in Montevideo with the inauguration of a new corporate building. The event highlighted the cooperative's strategic focus on expanding its presence in global markets. According to Gabriel Fernández Secco, the president of Conaprole, the cooperative plans to continue its mission of industrializing all milk from its producers while maximizing returns for dairy farmers. He emphasized the need to navigate increasingly complex international markets.
Currently, Conaprole exports 80% of the milk it processes, reaching 75 international markets and generating approximately $700 million annually from external sales. The cooperative has recently made its first sales to Indonesia and is actively seeking to broaden its market access, competing with major players like New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the European Union.
Fernández Secco highlighted the impact of international trade agreements on competitive dynamics, citing Uruguay's reduced presence in South Korea following a treaty between the latter and the United States. Similar challenges have arisen in China due to agreements involving Australia and New Zealand. He stressed the importance of advancing trade openness and improving tariff conditions for Uruguay's exports.
The cooperative model remains central to Conaprole's operations, with about 1,500 producers supplying milk, 75% of which comes from family farms. This system ensures equal payment conditions, tariffs, and services for small, medium, and large producers. The cooperative model is praised for its solidity, transparency, and equity.
Conaprole's economic and social impact on rural Uruguay is significant, fostering employment, services, and regional development. The cooperative processes approximately 1.65 billion liters of milk annually, sells around 300 products domestically, and provides about 25,000 direct and indirect jobs. It holds a 7% share in the global trade of whole milk powder, reinforcing its position as a major dairy company in Latin America.
The message from Conaprole is clear: growth, innovation, and market diversification are essential for sustaining Uruguay's dairy industry in an increasingly competitive global landscape.
