The members of agricultural cooperative Cooperativa Agrícola San Isidro (CASI) have re-elected José María Andújar as chairman, a position he will hold for the next four years. With 568 votes against 352, Jose Manuel Gálvez del Águila Andújar received the needed majority. Andújar plans to transform CASI into the largest producer and marketer of tomatoes in Europe.
In his acceptance speech, the re-elected chairman said that CASI has to grow into a solid and substantial cooperative. He also stated the intention of making profitable investments in modern installations, as well as work on general expansion. During his last stint, José María Andújar lifted the average selling price per kilo to 0.66 euro cents. "The organisation’s efficiency also significantly improved,” members agreed. A majority of the members endorses Andújar’s intended approach.
Andújar with his family
CASI was founded as a cooperative in 1944 and unites both producers and marketers of tomatoes in the Cañada and Almería region. It currently has about 1,500 members. The organisation cultivates over 2,000 hectares in the current season and has an annual turnover of 200 million euro. The tomatoes are shipped to more than 20 countries in Europe.