Five women from Pérez Zeledón lead “Madre Selva”, a project with which they venture into the cultivation of edible flowers and which is shaping up to be exported in the long term.This agricultural activity little explored in the country, has benefited from the 14° and 21° that Cajón de Pérez Zeledón has, a town near the Chirripó National Park.
“We started before the pandemic and after two years, it has gained strength. We are proud to know that the flowers we grow give color and flavor to national and international gastronomy, as they are prepared in well-known hotels in the area,” explained Melissa Mora, farmer of the initiative.
100% organic and edible
The COOPECEDRAL R.L. cooperative project guarantees that the product is 100% organic and edible. That, precisely, made the farmers learn to produce vermicompost or organic fertilizer at home.
“We make it with egg shells, vegetables and fruits, as well as coffee brush, necessary to combat pests,” said Martina Mora, another of the “Madre Selva” entrepreneurs.
They cultivate in greenhouses: carnations, petunias, carnations, geraniums, gerberas torenias, snapdragon, terecitas and daisies; Species that need night watering, organic fertilizer and a month to start their harvest.
Vision of exporting to Europe, Canada and the United States
Europe, the United States and Canada are three markets that are visualized for the export of these flowers. This was stated by Laura Flores, export promoter of the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promoter (PROCOMER).
“Edible flowers have a large market in Europe and precisely in the research we carried out, we detected that two of its major suppliers are Peru and Chile. This determined that with the knowledge that they have in the planting, cultivation, commercialization and maintenance of nurseries, this innovative project becomes a reality”, assured Flores.
The National Institute for Cooperative Development (INFOCOOP) highlighted entrepreneurship for its innovation. Fanny Obando, Promotion Manager of the institution, stated that the intention is to promote and support the development of the edible flower business line.
Currently, the five farmers receive training in organizational development, strategy, production, marketing, finance, internationalization, content creation and projects, through the program of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) called Land with the Essence of Women.
