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Our company |
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Index Salus is a certified agricultural industrial
company working in line with ecological farming criteria, especially on the cultivation
and processing of aromatic and medicinal plants and fruit growing.
This company was founded in 1992... enough time to demonstrate and guarantee our expertise in the cultivation
and processing of organic products.
The cultivation of apple trees, berries and tea (Camellia sinensis) have played a very important role within
our production during the last few years.. |
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At the foot of Villarrica volcano |
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Index Salus is located in the south
of Chile, 750 kilometres south of Santiago, at the foot of the Villarrica volcano and very near the
lake with the same name. The lake has a great influence on the climate, making it favourable for the
area and therefore making the land a perfect place for quality agricultural production. |
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Ecological agriculture |
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Our farm has about 600 hectares (1500
acres). We grow over 120 different plants and fruits which are dehydrated in our modern dryers and
then sold in many countries on different continents. The cultivation and processing of different raw
materials is realized according to the European organic regulation (VO209/91), NOP and JAS, all
certified by IMO, the international organic quality control in Switzerland. A high priority to the use
of natural resources is given; solar energy, for example, is used extensively for drying the herbs.
Index Salus is proud of our highly qualified staff and professionals. They ensure that the different
processes are carried out properly. In this way our customers are guaranteed the consistently excellent
quality of our products. |
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The benefits we offer to our customers |
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The modern technology of Index Salus gives you an
outstanding quality, always keeping in harmony with
nature. It does not harm or pollute the ecosystem. Index
Salus contributes to the development of the region,
while taking advantage of the natural benefits that the area possesses. |
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Pollution-free air |
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Our farming areas are located more
than 700 kilometres away from the most important industrial concentration and production centre of Chile.
Therefore, we do not have any risks of atomic power stations or environmental contamination sources nearby.
So the air is free from pollution and industrial emissions, and there is no intensive farming work near
our plantations. |
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Fertile, unpolluted soils |
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Soil conditions in our farms vary considerably,
which means that it is possible to satisfy the individual needs of the various plant species.
Volcanic sandy soil and fields rich of humus are never treated chemically. The hilly countryside allows
terraced hillside cultivation. |
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Glacier water from the volcano |
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Water supply comes from our deep wells
and glacier water from the 2.850m high Villarrica Volcano. A carefully planned system of canals runs
through the farms, guaranteeing enough irrigation with water of the highest purity for our plantations
even during the driest season. |
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No genetically modified crops |
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We guarantee that no genetic engineering
is used in our fields and no genetically modified crops are cultivated. |
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Helping biodiversity |
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Salus farms in Chile grow and produce
some medicinal herbs that are classified as endangered species, or those that are under risk of
extinction. This way we are trying to keep the balance of the natural environment, and making a
considerable contribution to preserve biodiversity. Some examples we can mention: mountain arnica (Arnica
montana), common centaury (Centaurium erythraea), cowslip (Primula veris), Gentiana lutea and Alpine Lady´s
mantle (Alchemilla alpina), species under risk of extinction which are grown in our fields. |
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Index Salus creates jobs |
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30 people work as part of our permanent
staff, mainly native women (mapuche women). Our workers benefit from various facilities and some of them
have the chance to live on our farms with their families. The workforce is increased seasonally, especially
for harvest time. During high seasons, Index Salus offers around hundred jobs, making our company one of
the largest and most important enterprises in the Ninth Region. |
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Regular training |
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For our company, it is quite important
that our employees have permanent, highly qualified training courses, which allow them to be brought
up to date in every respective field of the development and production areas. |
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In the lead of research |
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Having about 5 hectares to farm and test
projects, we are experimenting and making studies with about 450 breeding lines of about 120 different
plant species. Index Salus, in order to increase its knowledge, is constantly asking and exchanging
information with universities and institutes about different areas concerning our projects. |
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A wide range of crops and certified collection of wild plants |
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We use certified areas for the collection of
plants, such as rose hips, hawthorn, St. John´s wort, murta berries and linden flowers. Our farms partly
concentrate on perennials such as lavender or rosemary; however other areas are also set aside for annuals
or biennials such as Angelica, Echinacea, Arnica, (Arnica montana), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), |
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Marigold (Calendula officinalis) and for
crops lasting several years such as cowslip (Primula veris), Lady´s mantle (Alchemilla), heather (Calluna),
artichoke (Cynara), thyme (Thymus vulgaris), gentian (Gentiana lutea) and peony (Paeonia) among others.
During the last few years, tea (Camellia sinensis), apple and quince trees, and strawberries have been
part of our new production. |
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Working on projects |
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Index Salus works in different projects which
are particularly based on the development and cultivation of medicinal herbs and native species, not only
in the ninth region but throughout all our country. Independent small farmers are responsible to carry
out some of the cultivation projects which are supervised by our own company. |
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Types of processes that we offer |
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Index Salus has a wide range of processes and the use of technology. For drying raw material we have the following types of dryers:
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List of products |
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POP DRY® fruits |
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The products POP DRY® are distinguished for its innovative
dehydratation system which allows getting a crispy fruit without structural deformation in a conventional
drying process. |
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Medicinal and aromatic Herbs |
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Apple vinegar |
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It is made by 100% organic apples, free of additives and
with a maturation of twelve months. |
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Products of controlled and certified wild collection |
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Finished products for direct sale to the costumer |
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IIndex Salus is developing and constantly elaborating premium
products based on raw materials of the highest quality and innovative industrial processing.
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Dehydrated apples (connective dehydration process) |
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