Tequila of Guanajuato is environmentally friendly

María Isabel Ortiz Mantilla, head of SMAOT was in the Presentation of the first batch of Tequila with ARA certification by Socios Agaveros de Huanímaro

Guanajuato stands out in Mexico: 33% of the tequila brands certified with ARA are from Guanajuato

Huanimaro/Gto News

Guanajuato stands out nationally in the tequila industry, hosting 33% of the tequila brands certified with the Environmentally Responsible Agave -ARA- distinction.

Today 90% of the agave plantations in Guanajuato are free of deforestation.

This achievement is the result of the commitment of agave producers to adopt sustainable practices for the conservation of natural resources such as zero deforestation in the production of tequila with plantations of Agave Tequilana Weber blue variety.

This was highlighted by the head of the Ministry of Environment and Territorial Planning -SMAOT- Maria Isabel Ortiz Mantilla during the Presentation of the first batch of Tequila with ARA certification from the company Socios Agaveros de Huanímaro -Tequilera Huani-.

“We are celebrating the fact that they can receive this ARA certification that allows that makes it possible for the batch of tequila that was produced to be certified, that it comes from a plot that was not deforested, if we want to have water we need our water factories that are our forests, we cannot allow deforestation to continue and the challenge has been enormous”, said Ortiz mantilla.

“Agave production has been growing and we have also identified that in these seven municipalities with designation of origin of tequila, deforestation has also grown because it is believed that every corner must be taken advantage of to plant an agave, however this generates an impact”, said the Secretary.

“We have to create balances and that is how Huani tequila has understood it, that is how it has promoted it and that is why today we are celebrating together with them that they have the certification of their first batch of environmentally responsible agave tequila, they are committing the lots to remain with this certification”, said Ortiz.

The agave numbers in Guanajuato:

• 13.07% of the agave in Mexico (2022)
• 6,447 registered agave producers
• 19,345 plantations
• 185,808,000 plants are being grown now
• 55,748 hectares
• 7 municipalities with designation of origin for tequila production

The municipalities with the designation of origin are:

• Purisima del Rincon, Abasolo, Cueramaro, Huanimaro, Manuel Doblado, Penjamo and Romita

The Government of Guanajuato, the Tequila Regulatory Council and the Government of the State of Jalisco, signed the “Tripartite Cooperation Agreement Jalisco–Guanajuato–Tequila Regulatory Council, for the sustainability of the tequila sector.”

One of the central commitments of the agreement is the joint work to consolidate the ARA certification mark, which is the first certification worldwide on deforestation in alcoholic beverages, guaranteeing that the tequila was made with agaves from those plots that did not cause the removal of natural vegetation.

Since 2022, after the implementation of the Deforestation-Free Agave Compatibility Map, led by the SMAOT, the application of the ARA certification began in Guanajuato. This tool is essential to obtain the certificate.

As a result of this process, tequila producers in Guanajuato, including Tequilera Huani, have obtained their first batch of ARA Tequila. This milestone represents significant progress in the adoption of responsible practices in tequila production in the region.

The President of Socios Agaveros de Huanimaro, Alejandro Villasenor Segundo, received the ARA certificate from the Secretary and the Tequila Regulatory Council, which guarantees the commitment to the conservation of natural resources for the cultivation of agave tequilana.

“I commit and we agave farmers commit to comply with the certificate, to always work with zero deforestation agaves where there are no deforested trees, to continue and invite people to plant a tree where they have a space it can be carried out and believe me it can be done”, said Villasenor

“This will help a lot to mitigate climate change, this company is really committed to continuing what everyone already knows today, having a quality tequila and moving forward and reaching international markets and I also want to thank my fellow producers and the great support of the authorities”, said Alejandro Villaseñor Segundo.

The State Government promotes responsible practices that are transforming the tequila industry, ensuring a vibrant future for agave and our planet.