Productores Argentinos Integrados SA - PAI

Supporting the organic fruit value chain in Argentina

Argentina

Fair trade

Trade in products that have been certified and carry a fair trade label. An example of this is a farmer’s cooperative that collectively sells its cocoa to a fair trade organization.

Green

Promotes and/or supports the protection of the environment. An example of this is an organic farming cooperative.

Productores Argentinos Integrados SA - PAI (PAI) is a fresh-fruit exporting consortium composed of 12 fruit packing companies from Alto Valle de Río Negro and Neuquén, in the northern part of the Patagonia region. PAI supports cooperatives and small to medium enterprises (SMEs). It is one of Latin America’s main fruit exporters and one of the largest exporters in the growing organic fruit market (2015).

PAI exports to more than 40 countries and around 20% of its exports are organic. PAI was set up in 1974 to increase competitiveness and take advantage of economies of scale, by adding volume and sharing export transport costs.

The almost 300 small and medium fruit growers supplying PAI receive fair and transparent prices for their produce. PAI has an important social impact as its suppliers have little bargaining power and rely on PAI for marketing opportunities. Farmers follow clear guidelines with regard to quality and packaging, in order to meet client requirements.

PAI specifically targets markets which pay premium prices and is increasingly focusing on the organic market. PAI is the first fruit trading partner in Argentina financed by Oikocredit and Oikocredit's first partner in northern Patagonia.

Productores Argentinos Integrados SA - PAI has been an Oikocredit partner since 2015.