Juan Ramos Capllure comes from a family in which agriculture is the protagonist. After his studies as an agricultural technician in the town of Villareal (Castellón province), he assumed the management of the rice farms that his father already had and was acquiring new fields. One day he coincided in a conference with the technical director and manager of EDYPRO, Vicente Puchol, who had also been his fellow student. And from this moment on he began to use EDYPRO biotechnological solutions that he continues to use ever since.
- As a rice farmer, what peculiarities do you observe in Valencian agriculture compared to other regions?
Here the crops are mainly based on very small fields. But for example in Seville the cultivation of rice is very different with much larger fields and large estates. In the Delta de L’Ebre there are also large fields, but what has impressed me the most is in Seville because the cultivation is very well structured.
- Is there any point of improvement in the Valencian rice?
To improve cultivation we would have to remove margins because the fields are very small and in this way large areas could be made. It is not the same to work a small field comparing to a large one and take advantage of synergies and cost. If there are large fields, machinery and labor are used much more.
- What are the trends in rice cultivation at the national level, in your opinion?
The market is stabilized. At the moment the crop that is having the most profitability is the J. Sendra variety and the distribution also wants that type of rice because it is the one that is doing well and it is what we are producing for the most part. I specifically produce J. Sendra and Bomba.
The Bomba depends on the time of year and the market, its surface is small, although it is also giving profitability. If production remains low, it is fine, but if production in hectares increases, the price goes down.
The rest of the varieties that we have tried so far, the performance has not been satisfactory.
I have fields in El Perellonet, El Palmar, Sueca, but above all in Pinedo (all in Valencia province) and the variety that is having the most success is J. Sendra.
- For how long have you known EDYPRO biotechnology solutions?
It’s been quite a few years. Although during our years of study I had a relationship with Vicente Puchol, then after years I had contact with him again as a result of our coincidence in a conference EDYPRO also organized in Valencia. And from that moment I began to test EDYPRO‘s biotechnological solutions.
- What do you value most about them?
EDYFRUIT ARROZ in the Bomba variety works very well for me. In fact, one year I tried not to treat the field with it to see what would happen and without hesitation the following year I applied it again to the crop.
I also notice that although I do not add fertilizer, with EDYFRUIT ARROZ the harvest is going forward very well. I get very good yield in terms of tillering, panicles and all the processes.
COUPÉ REGENERATION PLUS also suits me very well. I have been using it for two years and I use it mainly in the Bomba variety because of the fertilizer issue (it replaces the chemical fertilizer) and also because, as many products are now being restricted, I do not make a basal fertilizer, and because of the issue. of the pyricularia use COUPÉ REGENERACIÓN PLUS, as it prevents the plant from being sensitive and receptive to this fungus and it is very noticeable. I´we tried it two years ago and will apply it again for the good result.
- Which ones have you used the most for the type of crop you produce and what contribution do they make to your crops?
Where I use EDYPRO biotechnological solutions most is in the Bomba variety and buyers tell me that it is excellent in terms of quality and morphological characteristics.
I have started to use COUPÉ REGENERACIÓN PLUS to substitute the conventional chemical mineral fertilizer and therefore the conventional Nitrogen. I do not use the basal fertilizer, but I apply COUPÉ REGENERACIÓN PLUS and it performs very well for me because it generates a magnificent transformation of the organic remains of the soil and with this activity it gives the crop enough organic nitrogen for its optimal development. I incorporate it into herbicides and depending on the vigor of the plant, I add more or less doses.
- With the use of EDYPRO biotechnological solutions, have you detected a before and after in your crops, have your solutions saved a critical moment in your crops?
Yes, especially in the Bomba variety, which is a variety that produces less kilos per hectare than the others, I have noticed a great difference at the end of the harvest in terms of quality and quantity. And I tried not to apply in some fields and I also noticed it and for that reason I have returned to them.
- What does a company like EDYPRO contribute to agriculture at the moment?
Well, I really appreciate the fact that it has non residue products that can be used for pyricularia such as PODIUM ARROZ. And also since we have a limit of Nitrogen kg/ ha for fertilization, we have to resort to other products that EDYPRO has. If we limit the Nitrogen units and do not contribute anything else, we could not produce the yield that we are producing. And it is a very good complement that other companies do not have.
- Is the way farmers do COVID-19 changing anything?
At the moment, in the crop in which I work and in the area that I move has not changed because in the rice at this time the work that is being done is agricultural machinery. When it comes to the labor work of weeding and transplanting, we may notice it, but not at the moment.
As there is a month or more left for this process of labor, depending on when the water is released, we have not yet agreed on measures. We are a bit on the lookout to see what happens.
- It is a time when COVID-19 is showing that agriculture is an essential and primary activity, and the need for national production. How will this affect agriculture in the future?
I believe that if things do not change from above, everything will continue the same. Now with the whole issue of COVID-19, you can see the work that the field is carrying out, but when this happens we will continue the same with the free market.
People will go to buy the cheapest and everything will remain the same. If the governments do not put tariffs and greater controls on products that come from abroad, everything will remain the same, I think.
But, I consider the most important thing is that we all get out of this process well and that national agriculture can continue to grow.