Sixteen organic producers of Gipuzkoa joined at the beginning of the confinement to bring local ecological products to the homes of Donostiarras. These producers were already related to the pilot project created by the Organic Agricultural Production Council of the Basque Country (ENEEK) and the Gipuzkoan association Biolur to offer organic products to the hotel owners. “The Internet ordering platform was already in place Sareko.net. This COVID-19 crisis came just as this digital store was ready,” explains Asier Bastarrika, a kitchen producer and project member.

Tool adapted to the new situation

In the new situation caused by the coronavirus, and seeing how it was difficult to carry out its sales for the producers, they thought to give a new use to the platform already created: “We organized ourselves in the first two weeks of this crisis, adapted the platform for new use and started collaborating in the distribution in Donostia.” Through producers attached to the project, they offer families all kinds of products: vegetables, cider, dairy, cheese, eggs, bread, jam and other packaged, fresh pasta, honey... “We want to give people the opportunity to make the purchase as wide as possible.”

Product delivery is carried out twice a week. “We have two paths: We collect the products from the Oria area on the one hand and Urola on the other. We all met in Hernani and spread out over the houses.” Families have until Sunday the possibility of applying for Tuesday's distribution and until Tuesday night for Friday's distribution. The answer was very good, the producers are happy: In total, more than 220 deliveries have been made in 140 properties.

Change in consumption?

They only offer local ecological products in the Etxeko Azoka project, and given the good response they have had, we asked Bastarrika if people are changing their consumption habits in times of crisis. “I would say yes a little, it seems to me that consumer groups have also risen in this situation. I do not know whether it was fear or what it was, but it is true that the issue of food and baserritars has been almost of the few things society has responded to it: fairs have been opened, for example,” he says.

Project members intend to continue operating in the future if they manage to maintain sales through the platform. “It’s a very interesting tool, which can complement shops and consumer groups.”