In the heart of Chaco, where rain is measured in drops and each decision counts, a producer decided go a different way. Terraces that protect the soil, Beehives that discover the balance of the environment and a working model that thinks beyond immediate performance. The story of Juan Carlos “Teddy” Cotella It’s from someone who understands this produce It can also be a form of caring.
The Numbers speak for a solid system: 25 years as a producer, 8,500 hectares in agricultural production, of which 4,194 certified areas for soybeans (1,019 ha) and corn (3,175 ha) as well as wheat, chickpeas, rapeseed, sunflowers and catch crops. There are also 550 hectares of nature reserve and 150 beehives. But there is something behind every character a story that began long before that.
An agricultural engineer by training, Cotella first entered the corporate world of agriculture. In 1989 he settled in Salta to work in a company in the sector, where he stayed until 1997. But around 2001, between the economic crisis and business decisions that contradicted his values, he decided to go for it Change course. “It was time to rethink my personal and professional life” remember.
This year an opportunity opened up: Buy fields with financing. This is how he jumped into his own field of expertise. In 2003, he founded Suriyaco SRL, a company named after a stream near Tucumán, in the local language “aguada de ñandúes”. “I decided to leave short-term decisions behind and focus on producing from a different perspective,” he concludes.
However, the calling came from the family. His father, Don Juan, encouraged him to study agricultural sciences. And his mother, Doña Elvira, a Spaniard who came from La Coruña in 1950 to reconstruct her family history, bequeathed to him the determination that later proved crucial. “This strength gave me support when difficult decisions had to be made.” recognize.
When Suriyaco started in 2003, it had 800 hectares of maize. Two decades later, the 8,500 hectares that he now cultivates between Chaco and Santiago del Estero are sown directly. “In this region, every drop of water counts. We rely exclusively on rainfall because the groundwater is scarce and salty.” “That’s why all fields are designed with contour lines and microterraces that enable efficient use of water resources,” synthesizes Cotella.
The idea of Building terraces were created in 2018, after a 90 millimeter storm within a few hours that left the seeds bare. “This blow prompted me to do what I had already had in mind: invest in terraces and a central drainage channel. Today, this infrastructure ensures that water is optimally distributed, percolated and used.” explained.
“It was learning along the way. When we started, there was no climate information in the region. We defined the rotations and practices through trial and error, always with the idea of protecting the soil and making a profitable business,” he admits.
The second big turning point also came in 2018 when it was decided to become certified according to the Roundtable on Responsible Soy (RTRS). “At Suriyaco we were already working with best practices, but without much registration of the information that has an impact, and the RTRS certification not only mandated us but also allowed us to add value to them,” he explains.
Today, The company has 4,194 certified acres of soybeans and corn. During the 2024 campaign, reviewed by Bureau Veritasreached 1,689 tons of soybeans and 11,439 tons of corn under the RTRS standard. By 2025, 6,000 tons of soybeans and 12,000 tons of corn are expected to be grown.
“I am convinced that this is the only way to produce while respecting the four pillars of sustainability: environment, productivity, social and governance. “It is important to improve the quality of life for employees and the communities in which we work.” holds.
This belief leads to action. “I won’t buy a tractor without a cab because whoever drives it has to have good working conditions,” he explains. Also in decisions that point to the collective: “For years I repaired country roads alone and was angry because no one helped. But during the pandemic I understood that thanks to these roads, ambulances or country teachers could pass. Then I understood that it was a contribution to the community to which I belong: Sachayoj.”
The relationship with his employees reflects this philosophy. Suriyaco promotes programs to improve rural housing, promotes training in everything from cardiopulmonary resuscitation to the safe use of spray equipment, and offers financial literacy workshops. All fields have defibrillators and the “Cardioprotected Fields” seal, in collaboration with the Argentine Cardiological Foundation. “It is important to me that when employees have dinner with their families, they feel proud to work for my company.” he states.
In 2022, Teddy decided to add beehives. “I wanted to measure the real impact of agricultural practices,” he explains. First he consulted INTA, then he worked with beekeepers and later signed an agreement with the Conicet. Today maintains 150 hives and the results were encouraging: no harmful effects of the sprays or residues in the honey or pollen were found.
In addition, it protects 550 hectares of native forest under an agreement with the ProYungas Foundationthrough the program Protected productive landscape (PPP). The scheme allows the combination of productive areas with nature reserves. “A protected productive landscape attempts to balance production and biodiversity and integrate environmental protection into producer management,” explains Sebastián Malizia, Managing Director of ProYungas.
“Every producer becomes aware of what they can do for nature and communicates this. The protected areas are transformed from a ‘productive burden’ to an ‘environmental asset’,” he adds. The program already brings together 55 companies in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia.
For Cotella, Certification meant more than adhering to a protocol. “Certification conveys culture in knowledge,” he says. “When they visit my area and say ‘How nice, how tidy,’ my employees are happy. RTRS has an impact on their daily lives.”
The sustainability credits Suriyaco receives are easily sold, but Teddy is focused on what’s behind them. “The real question is: who is buying and why are they buying? Because behind every loan there is work, commitment and real changes in the industry,” he emphasizes. “We use selective sprayers that cost twice as much as traditional sprayers, which brings many improvements and investments that the loan buyer cannot even imagine.”
“The purpose of my company is to improve the quality of life of the communities in which we operate. In my case, the means is agriculture.” If I made toys or had a paddle place I would do it from there. But I got into farming and I want to leave my mark with it,” he concludes.
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