Unicaja and Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Jaén have signed a collaboration agreement with the aim of providing cooperatives and their members with access to a wide range of financial products and services tailored to the specific needs of their business.
The agreement, which complements other specific agreements signed between the two organisations, was signed by Unicaja’s regional manager for Eastern Andalusia, Juan Cayuela, and the president of Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Jaén, José Manuel Espejo, thereby strengthening the collaboration between the two organisations to contribute to the development of one of the most important sectors for the provincial economy.
The agreement provides for a comprehensive range of financial products and services on preferential terms, tailored to the characteristics of the sector and designed to facilitate the day-to-day management of operations, support investment and modernisation processes, and contribute to the growth and competitiveness of cooperatives, farmers and livestock breeders.
With this initiative, Unicaja continues to strengthen its ties with the province’s productive sector and its commitment to the agricultural sector, which it regards as strategic due to its contribution to the generation of wealth, employment and territorial cohesion.
During the signing event, Unicaja’s regional manager for Eastern Andalusia, Juan Cayuela, emphasised that “agrifood cooperatives are much more than just business structures; they represent a model of collaboration that creates opportunities, helps retain the population in the region and provides stability for thousands of families linked to the agricultural sector. For Unicaja, it is essential to support this work and contribute to its strengthening”.
He also noted that “this agreement stems from our ongoing commitment to listening to the sector’s needs. Our aim is to provide cooperatives and their members with financial tools that allow them to focus on what really matters: producing, innovating and continuing to generate value for the province’s economy”.
Finally, Cayuela stated that “Jaén has a solid, dynamic cooperative network with an enormous capacity to adapt”. He added that “we want to continue building long-term relationships with these organisations, supporting their projects and helping them to successfully tackle the challenges and opportunities presented by the sector’s future”.
For his part, the president of Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Jaén emphasised the importance of continuing to rely on financial institutions that understand the realities of the sector and are capable of offering solutions tailored to its needs. In this regard, he stated that “this agreement will enable cooperatives and their members to access financial solutions that will help improve their management capacity and tackle the challenges posed by the current economic climate with greater confidence”.
Espejo also emphasised that cooperatives play a fundamental role in the province’s development by generating employment, wealth and opportunities in rural areas. For this reason, he added, “collaboration between organisations representing the sector and institutions committed to the region is key to continuing to strengthen a cooperative model that brings value, competitiveness and sustainability to our farmers and livestock breeders”.
Close ties with the sector
Unicaja maintains close ties with the agricultural and agri-food sector and has extensive experience in serving farmers, livestock breeders, cooperatives and industries linked to the countryside. Through a specialised range of services and collaboration agreements with the main professional organisations and cooperatives, the bank contributes to the development of agricultural activity and to the strengthening of a strategic sector for the Andalusian economy and, in particular, for the province of Jaén.
This long-standing support for the sector includes pre-approved funding for CAP advances, support schemes for intensive crops and a wide range of insurance products, all forming part of a comprehensive catalogue of financial and non-financial products and services.
Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de Jaén is the representative organisation for the agri-food cooperative sector in the province. Comprising around 160 member organisations, it carries out extensive work in representation, training, advice and support for cooperatives, helping to improve their competitiveness and strengthen a business model that is essential for the economic and social development of rural areas.
