INVESTIMENTO DA CERMISSÕES FORTALECE PRODUÇÃO DE HORTALIÇAS E MORANGOS NO INTERIOR DE PORTO XAVIER

“The quality of the power has improved a lot. Today I no longer have problems, and Cermissões deserves congratulations for the work it does for its members,” highlights producer Teobaldo Friedrich. During an inspection of the electrical grid interconnection works in the interior of Porto Xavier, the vice-president of Cermissões, Diomedes Rech, accompanied by electrical engineer Nerisom Rohleder, the coordinator of the construction teams, Sandro Krombauer, and the communications advisor, Vanes Della Flora, visited the property of member Teobaldo Friedrich, located in Linha Seção “D” Baixa. The community was one of the main beneficiaries of the new three-phase transmission line built by Cermissões, an investment of over R$ 5.5 million that interconnected the municipalities of Roque Gonzales and Porto Xavier. Inaugurated in September 2025, the project had the support of the State Government, through the Energia Forte no Campo Program. Currently, the Cooperative's teams continue working in the region, connecting and expanding the network to Linha Planalto, in the interior of São Paulo das Missões, passing through Linha Barão. FROM THE ROAD TO THE FIELD: A STORY OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP Originally from Caibaté, Teobaldo Friedrich worked for many years as a truck driver, including as a member of Cotracaaró. A few years ago, he decided to change the course of his professional life and invest in horticultural production on an area of ​​approximately two hectares in Linha Seção “D” Baixa, located about 14 kilometers from the city of Porto Xavier. With an investment of over R$ 800,000, the producer structured a property that has now become a benchmark in the municipality. Currently, he maintains 11 greenhouses, approximately 17,000 strawberry plants, and a diversified production of vegetables, including lettuce, arugula, watercress, broccoli, and green herbs. At the time of the Cermissões delegation's visit, Teobaldo was planting new crops and was being assisted by the day laborer José Adilson Schlötefeldt. During the conversation, the producer reported that one of the main difficulties currently faced is the lack of labor to work in the fruit and vegetable sector, a situation that ends up requiring even greater dedication from the family. “Our story didn't start easily. In the beginning, we faced many difficulties, but we learned and specialized. Today we start work at 3:30 am to harvest fresh produce daily and deliver it to the markets in Porto Xavier. The biggest difficulty today is finding people willing to work and help us with the farm's activities,” he reported. QUALITY ENERGY BROUGHT SECURITY AND GROWTH According to the producer, the arrival of the new three-phase network from Cermissões represented a transformation on the property. Before the work, the energy had frequent fluctuations, compromising the operation of the irrigation equipment. “We couldn’t operate two pieces of equipment at the same time. The pumps would shut down, and we had many problems. After the installation of the new network and the transformer near the property, everything changed. Today we have quality energy and have never had problems again. The improvement has been enormous,” he emphasizes. Teobaldo also revealed that he is already organizing to implement the internal three-phase network on the property, taking advantage of the structure that passes in front of the enterprise and enabling new investments, especially in agro-industry. When evaluating the work developed by the Cooperative, the member was emphatic: “I think Cermissões is a quality cooperative. The service is excellent, and the work done by the board, by President Diamantino, and by the teams deserves recognition. We can only thank them for this investment that has brought so many benefits to us.” INVESTMENT THAT GENERATES DEVELOPMENT During the visit, Vice-President Diomedes Rech highlighted his satisfaction in seeing firsthand a property that demonstrates, in practice, the results of the investments made by the Cooperative. “We are very happy to see a member using the energy provided by Cermissões to produce, generate income, and develop their property. This project benefited more than 3,400 families and shows the importance of investing in infrastructure for rural areas. For the Cooperative, there is no difference between large or small properties. Our commitment is to serve all members with the same dedication and quality,” he stated. Diomedes also emphasized that the new network was the result of much planning by President Diamantino Marques dos Santos, together with the Cooperative's advisors and technical teams. The vice-president further highlighted that Teobaldo's property is an example of how small rural areas can be transformed into highly productive enterprises when they have planning, dedication, and adequate infrastructure. Cermissões, the Light of the Missions!