Environment
Cabacés is a village of about 300 inhabitants located at an altitude of 357 meters, west of the Priorat region (Tarragona, Spain), between the ravines of Les Comes and La Calçada.
The municipality has a land area of 32.21 km² and is crossed from north to south by the river Montsant which divides the territory into two unequal zones. The largest extends along the last western foothills of the Serra del Montsant natural Park, the other climbs the eastern slopes of the Serra la Llena and also includes a part of the mountain of Sant Pau, in the Serra de la Figuera.
The steep slopes of the terrain make it a great contrast between the highest part, in Montsant, and the relatively flat areas of the lower part and the irrigated banks of the river.
Our history
Since 1933
1933
Sindicat Agrícola de Cabacés
Our Cooperative was founded in 1933 by 51 farmers from the village with the name of Sindicat Agrícola de Cabacés with the intention of jointly producing and marketing their agricultural production, mainly olives and grapes.
The main objective was the improvement of the agriculture of the town generally, and the construction of the building of the cooperative, that was constructed by the own farmers. Some of them pledged some of the necessary loans with their estates.
Focused on quality: The board of directors, elected by the members, gave instructions on treatments and methods of collection. If the rules were not followed or olives were brought in bad condition, they could be rejected.
1933
The "Unió Agrícola"
Some farmers in the village, dissatisfied with the leftist profile of the board of directors of the "Sindicat Agrícola" (despite not having any official political affiliation), created the "Unió Agrícola", with similar purposes: to produce better quality oil and wine and with strict rules of production using a mill already existing in the village and which they acquired.
1938
Merger of entities
The Spanish Civil War that broke out in 1936 directly affected the farmers of Cabacés, who saw the pack animals seized and caused the destruction of documentation.
In 1938 the 'Unió agrícola', after a disastrous harvest, voluntarily merged with the 'Sindicat Agrícola'. The following year they had to expand the cooperative's facilities due to the good harvest and the increase in membership.
This initiative to move forward stands out especially in a time of fratricidal war.
Image: Millstones of the 'Sindicat Agrícola'. Its function was to crush the olives into dough.
1939
Dissolution of the Sindicat Agrícola
In 1939, after the end of the war, the Franco regime declared the Sindicat Agrícola a Marxist entity, and its assets were transferred to the Delegación Nacional de Sindicatos. The Unió Agrícola had to be revived, which was resurrected because it was allowed, adapting it to the new laws.
In any case, the building of the 'Sindicat' continued to be used to make the products of all the farmers. So it can be said that the 'Unió Agrícola' would follow the tradition of the two entities founded in 1933
1941
Post-war difficulties
In 1941 the economic situation of the cooperative was precarious due to debt claims, which also affected farmers who pledged with their properties. This situation is added on top of the many problems caused from the war.
However, the economy is improving at a good pace, and in 1943 there are 152 members and 327 hectares (3.27km²) cultivated.
Image: Press of the 'Sindicat Agrícola'. The dough of the olives, properly placed in the press, was crushed to extract all the juice, then the oil was separated from the oilseeds using decantation.
1946
Production
In 1943 wine still predominates over olive oil. This trend would soon change: by 1948 oil was already very prevalent over wine.
During the following years there were not many outstanding events, apart from some fines for not declaring everything they produced, probably for dedicating it to the black market (common during Franco dictatorship).
Image: "Conduce" of the 1950-1951 campaign to control the production and movement of olives.
1960-1969
The improvement of the 60s
Once the post-war period was over, and with Franco's Spain opening up to the outside world, the 1960s saw a great economic improvement.
The cooperative bought a lot of modern machinery, although granite millstones and presses installed in 1933 were still used to crush the olives. Numerous improvement works were also carried out.
Image: The blender of the Sinolea combined machine, from where the dough was moved to the presses. This machine was in service until 1989. In the picture, Ton and Òscar Escoda preparing the dough for extraction.
1962
Rural Bank
Without any bank in the village and with many difficulties and means to manage the money in banks, it was decided to found the 'Caixa Rural' for the members. In 1962 the cooperative created the 'Caixa Rural', which functions as an autonomous entity.
1960-1987
The recovery of the property of the cooperative
During this time the 'Organización Sindical' tried to sell the cooperative's building to the 'Hermandad Sindical de Cabacés' , after several unanswered proposals, it was answered that they were not interested in buying it for the value they were selling it.
It was later asked to the 'Delegación Nacional de Sindicatos' to return the property, as they would not find any buyer for a building that belonged to everyone and that among all the farmers and the cooperative had been preserved and improved for the service of the own members.
It was repeatedly insisted, similarly asking different people and organizations to transfer the property, until finally it was given free of charge to the 'Hermandad Sindical de Cabacés'.
1985
Cooperativa Agrícola i Caixa Agrària de Cabacés, SCCL.
In 1985 the cooperative adapted to the new laws of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and was renamed the Cooperativa Agrícola i Caixa Agrària de Cabacés, SCCL.
In 1987 the 'Hermandad Sindical de Cabacés' donated the building of the cooperative to the 'Cooperativa Agrícola de Cabacés SCCL', thus completing the long process of recovering the ownership of the building that was seized in 1939.
1989-1999
Improvement of machinery
In 1989, a process of quality improvement in production processes began: granite presses and millstones were replaced by a three-phase continuous extraction system, and the entire machine room was adapted. This made it possible to turn the olives into dough, and using a centrifugation process, the oil, the oilseeds and the pomace was separated.
An olive reception and cleaning system was installed in 1991, eliminating work for farmers who no longer had to completely separate the leaves, it then was done with machinery, and improved cleaning with a system of water and air pumps that separated olives from leafs and small stones.
Later, in 1994, the two-phase centrifugal extraction system was adapted to make it much more environmentally friendly.
Finally, in 1999 a packaging machine was installed and the agro-shop was built and in 2000 the Baronia de Cabacés brand was registered.
Image: The Pieralisi continuous extraction machine installed in 1989. In the picture, Antonio Escoda and Sisco Gibert controlling it.
2003
Agrícola i Secció de Crèdit de Cabacés, SCCL.
In 2003, the production of organic oil began, with five farmers. The same year the legislation changed, and with the statutory change the name was changed to ' Agrícola i Secció de Crèdit de Cabacés, SCCL '.
A large investment was also made in improving quality , with a new traceability system, a register of phytosanitary treatments made to the trees, new regulations for the transport of olives to the mill, so that they arrive in better condition, ventilated and preventing them from being crushed or fermented before being milled.
All pipes and tanks were renovated, all made of stainless steel to ensure quality.
Image: 750ml bottles of Baronia de Cabacés oil, conventional and ecological.
2001-present day
Awards
The results of the improvements in the production processes were immediate: the extra virgin olive oil Baronia de Cabacés began to receive local, national and international awards.
Image: Poster with the list of awards obtained for the Baronia de Cabacés olive oil, displayed on the façade of the 'Sindicat' building in 2008.
2015-2021
Increased capacity
In 2015, 3 tanks that were formerly used to store wine were renovated to store oil, and in 2018, stainless steel tanks were purchased to store more oil. This made it possible to save more oil and not have to sell quality oil in bulk due to lack of storing capacity.
In 2016, a first change of machinery was made to increase production capacity, and in 2021, after an exceptional harvest in 2020, a decanter was replaced to further increase production capacity.
Image: Machinery used from 2016 to 2019.