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Cochrane: First Lumber Center Inaugurated to Benefit Producers in Aysén

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• This is the Wood Processing, Storage, and Supply Center, an initiative carried out by INFOR with support from the Regional Government. It will enable the installation of machinery and equipment for generating wood products locally, reducing production gaps and transportation times.

In the commune of Cochrane, the Patagonia branch of the Forestry Institute (INFOR) inaugurated the first "Wood Processing and Supply Center" (CEAM). This initiative will facilitate the installation of machinery and equipment for wood transformation and is developed through the National Fund for Regional Development (FNDR) "Transfer for Productive Development in the Forestry Sector of Capitán Prat Province," funded by the Aysén Regional Government.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Provincial Presidential Delegate of Capitán Prat, Marta Montiel; INFOR's Executive Director, Sandra Gacitúa; the Regional Minister of Agriculture for Aysén, Eugenio Ruiz; the Mayor of Cochrane, Jorge Calderón; the Aysén Regional Government Coordinator, Nélida Muñoz; the Manager of INFOR Patagonia, Jaime Salinas; along with various producers and industry representatives from the region.

In this context, INFOR's Executive Director, Sandra Gacitúa, emphasized that the CEAM's implementation represents a business opportunity, especially for small-scale family farming. "We know that in our territories, particularly in the Aysén Region, we have multiple purposes regarding production, and the forestry sector needs this to enhance, generate, and support all its productive linkages," she explained.

Meanwhile, the Regional Minister of Agriculture, Eugenio Ruiz, stated, "This inauguration plays an important role in benefiting the community, especially rural farmers and forestry producers, who are well-represented in Capitán Prat Province. Today, thanks to this sector, we can integrate wood production at both regional and local levels."

The CEAM marks the first step of the FNDR program for Productive Development Transfer in the Forestry Sector of Capitán Prat Province, aimed at increasing productivity and income for local forestry producers.

Additionally, the program's execution includes the future construction of two lumber centers in the communes of Tortel and Villa O’Higgins, with the goal of serving over 70 beneficiaries in the sector who work in the most isolated areas of Aysén.

"For the Regional Government, it is very satisfying to see results after funding the program, which began in 2022. It means we are making progress in building local competitiveness and advancing through coordinated work with the agricultural sector, INFOR, and based on the territories' own needs," highlighted Nélida Muñoz, Aysén Regional Government Coordinator.

One of the beneficiaries of this initiative is producer Roberto Vidal, who acknowledged its positive impact on his work: "As an INFOR partner, I was provided with machinery—a wood chipper and a saw. These are tools that help and are otherwise hard to access, so having them available on loan is a tremendous direct benefit."

The facility measures 18 meters long and 8 meters wide, featuring a metal structure with a TUBEST system for quick and airtight assembly. It is located on the premises of AG Río Baker, a trade association in Cochrane that has a collaborative technical support agreement with INFOR. This public-private partnership has been conducting activities with beneficiary producers since 2019.

Source: Infor.cl