The agricultural success of Lleida’s fertile plains, including the Segrià, Pla d’Urgell, Urgell and Noguera, is often credited to its fruit production. But the real turning point was not irrigation or new crops. It was a decision by local farming co-operatives to unite, creating a powerful network that reshaped the region’s economy and ensured small farmers could compete in global markets.
For centuries, farming in Lleida relied on dryland agriculture. Cereals, olives, almonds and vineyards dominated a landscape shaped by scarce rainfall. This system brought no great wealth, but fostered a rural culture rooted in effort, prudence and solidarity. From these conditions emerged the first agricultural co-operatives, olive co-ops in the Garrigues, cereal co-ops in the Segarra, and service co-ops across the plains. They enabled small farmers to buy supplies collectively, access credit, process harvests and market produce more effectively. Without them, many family farms would have struggled to survive.
The arrival of irrigation marked the first major shift. The Canal d’Urgell, operational from 1862, transformed the region’s productivity. Later expansions, including the Segarra-Garrigues Canal, enabled large-scale fruit cultivation. Yet irrigation alone did not guarantee prosperity. Water increased output, but turning harvests into income required strong businesses capable of processing, logistics and international sales.
By the late 1970s, the challenge was no longer how to grow more, but how to sell produce with added value. Spain’s entry into the European market, the rise of large supermarket chains and growing global competition changed the rules. Farmers now competed not just with neighbours, but with producers from France, Italy and North Africa. Local co-ops, while still vital for community ties, struggled to compete individually.
The Birth of Second-Tier Co-ops
The solution came from a new generation of leaders who understood that survival depended on scale. Among them was Pere Boldú from Arbeca, a central figure in Catalan agricultural co-operation. He helped launch the Agrupació de Cooperatives Agràries de les Terres de Lleida in 1980, later known as Actel, becoming its first president.
The future depends on quality production, added value and integration wherever possible.
Actel represented a new model: co-ops owned by other co-ops. This second-tier structure preserved local roots while pooling resources for marketing, logistics, technical services, innovation and international promotion. The question shifted from “How do we strengthen our own co-op?” to “How do we strengthen all co-ops so none are left behind?”
Building trust was harder than the business setup. Many local co-ops resisted giving up autonomy. Boldú, known for his humility and listening approach, acknowledged the human challenge: “People resist change.” His leadership style, focused on consensus, not command, proved essential in uniting over a hundred independent co-ops.
ActelGrup Today: Scale and Success
Forty-five years later, ActelGrup (Actel, SCCL) stands as a major agri-food cooperative. It now integrates 102 first-tier co-ops, represents more than 6,500 farming families and reports annual revenue exceeding €218 million, according to its public profile actelgrup.com.
The group markets fruit, olive oil, alfalfa and cereals worldwide, valued for their organoleptic quality and health benefits. It employs 59 people, with a workforce growing at 7.7% year-on-year. Its headquarters are in Lleida, and it has earned recognition including the 2025 Cooperativa del Año award from Qcom.es.
Other initiatives followed the same logic. Agroles strengthened the olive oil sector before merging into Actel. Cotecnica evolved from animal feed production to become an international leader in pet nutrition.
New Challenges Demand New Co-operation
Today’s challenges differ from those of the 1980s. Climate change affects water needs and growing seasons. Digitalisation, artificial intelligence and precision farming require heavy investment. Supermarkets hold concentrated buying power. Consumers demand traceability, sustainability and differentiation. Geopolitical uncertainty adds further risk.
Yet many of Boldú’s insights remain relevant. As he once said: “The future depends on quality production, added value and integration wherever possible.” The next transformation may not involve creating new second-tier co-ops, but deepening integration among existing ones, sharing innovation platforms, accelerating digital tools, strengthening global reach and exploring large-scale mergers.
The lesson from Lleida’s co-operative movement is clear: institutions that adapt generate lasting prosperity. The legacy of leaders like Boldú is not just Actel, but the proof that co-operation can build strength, competitiveness and dignity for farming families.
Reported by viaempresa.cat, vilaweb.cat, Exa, empresascif.com, europapress.es, segre.com, VIA Empresa.
