The Saudi multinational company Almarai, one of the world’s largest producers of food and dairy products, has been involved in an environmental controversy. They are accused of drying up an aquifer in Córdoba.
Residents of Traslasierra claim that the company has brought a key point for the region to a critical state in order to export forage to Saudi Arabia.
The accusation against the multinational for “drying up an aquifer”
The accusation focuses on the exploitation of 12,000 hectares of land acquired by Almarai in 2011, where they grow alfalfa for export. This crop, highly water-demanding, is said to be depleting the Los Cerrillos-San Vicente aquifer, putting the local population’s water supply at risk.
According to the accusers, the company is using techniques such as direct seeding and artificial climate modification, like cloud dynamization to prevent hailstorms, which would aggravate the environmental impact.
Almarai’s response
Residents accuse them of bringing drought to an aquifer.
Almarai justifies its investment in Argentina as a measure to ensure food security for Saudi Arabia, a country with scarce water resources. In this regard, they argue that their production in Argentina complies with all local environmental regulations.
However, neighbors and environmental organizations question this version, claiming that Almarai’s activities are causing irreversible damage to the ecosystem and harming small producers.
The consequences of this activity, they argue, go beyond aquifer depletion. The decrease in water availability is something that impacts family farming, tourism, and the region’s biodiversity.
Additionally, the community denounces the lack of state control over water use and the exploitation of natural resources.
The demand for justice
Almarai, the accused company.
The Traslasierra residents demand an “exhaustive investigation” into the environmental impact of Almarai’s activities and the application of sanctions if the reported irregularities are confirmed.
They also call for the implementation of public policies that guarantee water protection and ecosystem sustainability.
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