Abaco Neem Starts New Neem Farm in Paraguay!
This past January, local neem farmers Nick and Daphne Miaoulis travelled to Paraguay to use their certified organic neem seeds to kickstart a new farming venture. This new farm is on the land of a Dr. Martin Vorderwuelbecke (hereafter referred to as Dr. Martin), who was so impressed with the quality of Abaco Neem’s product that he wanted to plant their seeds on his own Paraguayan land.
Dr. Martin had been a customer of Abaco Neem for several years, and he has always been particularly impressed with Abaco Neem’s quality and the results he saw from his own personal use of the product. In November of 2014, he travelled to Abaco to visit the production centre in Marsh Harbour along with the 110 acre certified organic farm in South Abaco.
Dr. Martin was not only impressed with the high standards implemented at the Abaco Neem, but he also saw great potential in the level of maintenance and farm management demonstrated by Nick Miaoulis. After a lengthy luncheon meeting on the Abaco Neem farm, it was agreed that Abaco Neem and Dr. Martin’s own El Retiro Ranch would join forces and start a new neem farm in Paraguay.
Dr. Martin owns an approximately 32,000 acre ranch in El Retiro, Paraguay, which operates completely off the grid and is totally environmentally friendly. What Dr. Martin’s vast property lacks is large trees to provide shade for the cattle. He came to Abaco hoping to find a solution to his problem and what he found at the Abaco Neem farm was exactly what the doctor ordered. An agreement was drawn up between the two parties and in January of 2015 Nick and Daphne both traveled to Paraguay with the first trial seeds. These trial seeds proved to be successful and Nick and Daphne made a second trip in July 2015 with 7000 more seeds to expand the neem farm across the 32,000 parcel of land.
“We are hoping to do reforestation with the neem trees on El Retiro and provide shade trees for the cattle and other animals on the ranch. These trees will mature in three to four short years, at which time we hope to be producing products to help to contribute to the healthcare of the people of Paraguay the same way we have here in the Bahamas. Ultimately our objective is to develop new innovative products using neem that can attract a broader international market” explained Mr. Miaoulis.
“There are a number of different challenges that we face in Paraguay as opposed to in the Bahamas, but overall the conditions are very comfortable and we are excited about the possibilities. It does make it easier that we are in opposite seasons with our winter being their summer so when one farm is in harvest season the other is not. It’s really a perfect fit. It gives us more stability and real security of commodity. The reality is that in the Bahamas we are in a hurricane zone and this gives us added insurance in the event of major losses.”
“Our partners in Paraguay, Mr. Wolfgang Kotzur and his team, are truly wonderful people. From their respect for nature to the way they treat their workers, who all live on the ranch, they are really a great organization. We are very excited about this opportunity and look forward to where this new venture takes us and Abaco Neem” said Mrs. Miaoulis.
They will travel a minimum of twice annually to participate in the farm and management of the neem trees. In January of 2016 they will return to Paraguay to oversee the transplanting of the young trees into the field.
Abaco Neem is an excellent example of the fact that farming can be successful in the Bahamas. They are also the only certified organic farm in the areas and it has proven valuable for them.
“Being the best at anything takes careful preparation and management and that is what we have done for the past 22+ years. We are known to produce one of the highest grade neem oils in the world, the results that our customers experience from using our products far exceeds our competition as proven by our customer testimonials.”
“We constantly measure ourselves against the competition and our annual recertification process keeps us on our toes” explained Mr. Miaoulis. “The Ayurvedic health care industry is constantly evolving and we are always learning and improving to keep on the mark and to play a role in integrated medicine. The beauty of neem is that there are no negative side effects, it is multi-purpose and effective in treating many health conditions, in particular diabetes and hypertension which are two very prevalent diseases in our country”
“We are fully transparent at our production center, anyone is free to come in on any day and observe our products being made. We also conduct farm tours where you can also see where your products are grown. The quality of any products starts at the root of the product and with the clean air and water we have available here in the Bahamas we have an automatic advantage over other countries where neem is grown. We are very happy to have partnered with a like minded farm where they take pride in the management of their animals in much the same way that we care for our trees. Our neem oil is the creme de la creme of neem oils in the world, second to none in its quality and effectiveness. This has been proven not only by independent studies and in the results that our customers experience. From healing skin conditions to shrinking tumors to managing blood sugar to reducing cholesterol, there are almost too many benefits to list. One thing is for sure, whatever the ailment, neem oil can help to manage it! You only need to try it once to believe it for yourself” says Mr. Miaoulis.
