Dairy Cooperatives: A Pillar of Chile's Productive Sovereignty

Dairy cooperatives are pivotal in Chile's agricultural landscape, processing 60% of the country's milk. This model not only strengthens rural supply chains but also adds value and enhances productive sovereignty. According to Daniel Held, director of Aproleche Osorno, cooperatives are essential for addressing the challenges faced by the Chilean dairy sector. Initiatives like FuturoCoop and Ganacoop have emerged in response to the need for collective strategies amid market fluctuations. Successful examples include Campos Australes and Torrencial Lechero, which showcase how modern cooperative structures can integrate local roots with value addition and effective negotiation.

Aproleche Osorno advocates for a goal where at least 60% of national milk is processed by cooperatives to reinforce productive sovereignty. Through vertical integration, producers can actively partake in the entire value chain, from dairy farming to commercialization. This cooperative approach offers several advantages over individual or industrial models, including greater bargaining power, equitable profit distribution, enhanced technology access, and resilience against price volatility. As Held states, "more unity, more associativity, more cooperation" is the formula for a competitive and fair dairy sector.

Building a sustainable and territorially rooted dairy industry is emphasized as crucial for the future. Placing producers at the center not only supports rural communities and generates local employment but also fosters a more sustainable and value-added production.