Background and Relevance of the CRT Project
The Consejo Regulador del Tequila (CRT) has launched a project to strengthen the Agave-Tequila production chain, benefit the primary sector, and achieve strategic cultivation planning. This initiative includes the Agave Responsible Social (ARS) certification, recognizing agave producers who have dedicated their lives to cultivating and harvesting the Blue Weber Agave Tequilana for tequila production.
Key Participants and Progress
Seven months after the project’s launch, 842 agave producers have obtained the ARS certification. A total of 23 tequila-producing companies are participating, with 18,000 tonnes of agave plants placed directly without intermediaries.
Certifications’ Benefits and Requirements
The ARS certification encourages direct links between agave producers and tequila companies, promotes contract farming, offers sustainable agricultural practices training, and supports strategic cultivation planning.
- No cost: The ARS certification is free for interested producers.
- Inventory limit: Producers must have a maximum of 100,000 agave plants.
- Registration period: Producers’ registration as agave growers must have started between 1994 and 2017.
- Tax registration: Producers must be registered with the SAT (Servicio de Administración Tributaria).
- No deforestation: Producers’ agave plantations must not cause deforestation, requiring an Agave Responsible Ambiental (ARA) compatibility report.
Obtaining the ARS Certification
To receive the ARS certification, producers must visit CRT offices or the mobile unit currently touring the Tequila Denomination of Origin region.
Testimonial and Call to Action
“I invite my fellow agave producers to bypass intermediaries, also known as ‘coyotes,’ and connect directly,” said Humberto Benítez, an Amatitán native and agave producer since 1992.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the CRT project? The CRT project aims to strengthen the Agave-Tequila production chain, benefit the primary sector, and achieve strategic cultivation planning.
- What does the ARS certification offer? The ARS certification promotes direct links between producers and tequila companies, supports sustainable agricultural practices, and encourages strategic cultivation planning.
- How can producers obtain the ARS certification? Producers must visit CRT offices or the mobile unit and meet the requirements, including no cost, inventory limits, registration periods, tax registration, and no deforestation.
