Manduvirá is a local smallholders’ cooperative that was founded in 1975 to support small-scale farmers in selling their sugar cane in organic and Fairtrade niche markets at much better prices. Around 900 sugar farmers belong to the cooperative, which is Fairtrade, Bio Suisse and Demeter certified. The collaboration with Manduvirá enables HALBA to have a transparent and direct supply chain for its organic and Fairtrade-certified cane sugar.
Since 2015, HALBA has sourced the majority of its certified organic and Fairtrade cane sugar from the Manduvirá cooperative. HALBA supports the cooperative with pre-financing by paying 70 per cent of the value of all purchased goods in advance. This allows the farmers to start their production without being fully dependent on local loans.
Since 2023, HALBA has been supporting Manduvirá in improving the soil fertility of its sugar cane fields by producing high-quality compost.
