Analysis of Copra and Coconut Oil Markets in Mexico

Abstract Objective: To assess the economic impact of the implementation of different production systems (real, traditional, intensive and organic) on the profits of copra producing states and major coconut oil companies. Design/methodology/approach: A linear programming model was formulated which considered the main costs and production revenues, and the transport costs of the copra and coconut oil market, in order to maximize the profit of copra producers and the oil industry simultaneously. Results: The states that were most suitable in the distribution of copra were Guerrero and Tabasco, which proved to be the main suppliers in all the production systems evaluated; within production systems, the intensive system presented a higher level of profit in the scenarios raised. Limitations/implications: The model considered the sale of copra as the sole income of producers, leaving aside the marketing of other products and economic transfers, thus underestimating their total profit. Future research is required to help collecting data on alternative sources of income from producers.  Findings/conclusions: Increasing copra production without taking into account installed capacity in the industry results in the creation of a copra surplus in most producing states, which would result in a fall in the prices of this producto, therefore, reducing the profit of most states.Objective: To assess the economic impact of the implementation of differentproduction systems (real, traditional, intensive and organic) on the profits of copra-producing states and major coconut oil companies.Design/Methodology/Approach: A linear programming model was formulatedwhich considered the main costs and production revenues, and the transport costs ofthe copra and coconut oil market, in order to maximize the profit of copra producersand the oil industry simultaneously.Results: The states that were most suitable in the distribution of copra wereGuerrero and Tabasco, which proved to be the main suppliers of all the productionsystems evaluated; within production systems, the intensive system presented ahigher level of profit in the scenarios raised.Study Limitations/Implications: The model considered the sale of copra as thesole income of producers, leaving aside the marketing of other products and economic transfers, thus underestimating their total profit. Future research isrequired to help collect data on alternative sources of income for producers.Findings/Conclusions: Increasing copra production without taking into account theinstalled capacity in the industry results in the creation of a copra surplus in mostproducing states, which would result in a fall in the prices of this product, thereforereducing the profit of most states

Caracterización de ganaderos y unidades de producción pecuaria beneficiarios del programa de estímulos a la productividad ganadera (PROGAN) en México

The PROGAN has been criticized, just like other agriculturalsupport governmental programs, because it does not start with adiagnosis of the real situation that cattle production has and,therefore, does not take into consideration the differences betweenproducers, an important aspect in the design of public policies.The objective of this research was to characterize economicallyand productively the livestock producers that integrate the registryof PROGAN beneficiaries in México, in order to clarify theconditions in which extensive livestock production is carried out,and allowing in the long term a differentiation of policies. Thestudy was based on 977 surveys, and the analysis methodologyused was Factor Analysis, which as a statistical technique fordata reduction turned out to be efficient in identifying six factorswhich were used to adjust the sample and characterize it in fourtypes of producers with different levels of economic and productivedevelopment.El PROGAN ha sido criticado, al igual que otros programas deapoyo gubernamental, por no partir de un diagnóstico de la situaciónreal que guarda la ganadería bovina y, por tanto, notomar en consideración las diferencias entre los productores, aspectoimportante en el diseño de políticas públicas. El objetivode esta investigación fue caracterizar económica y productivamentea los ganaderos que integran el padrón de beneficiariosdel PROGAN en México; a fin de esclarecer las condiciones enlas que se desempeña la actividad ganadera extensiva, permitiendoa futuro una diferenciación de políticas. El estudio se apoyóen 977 encuestas, y la metodología de análisis que se aplicó fue lade Análisis Factorial, que como técnica estadística de reducciónde datos resultó ser eficiente en la identificación de seis factores,que fueron utilizados para ponderar la muestra y caracterizarlaen cuatro tipos de productores con diferentes niveles de desarrolloeconómico y productivo

El papel del empleo rural no agrícola en las comunidades rurales: un estudio de caso en Tepeji del río, Hidalgo, México

Rural families are being increasingly incorporated to activitiesdifferent to the agricultural ones, since these activities representan important support to compensate the low agricultural incomes.On the other hand, the tighter interrelation between thecountryside and the city facilitates the participation in theemployment market and in the formal and informal commerce,widening the development capacities of the rural economies, andcausing a decrease on the relative importance of the agriculturalincome within the total rural income. The rural income is nolonger equivalent to the agricultural income in the Mexicancountryside. In this essay we analyze the role of the nonagricultural rural employment (NARE) through the resultsobtained by means of interviews and the application of a surveyto 70 families of the communities of Sta. María Magdalena andLa Cañada de Madero, both located in the municipality of Tepejidel Río de Ocampo in the state of Hidalgo, México. Also, thedifferent sources of non agricultural employment and the incomederiving from them, which represents more than 84% of the totalincome, are examined. lncome obtained through migration issignificative for some families; nevertheless, the remunerationscoming from local markets have the highest compensating impactof the low agricultural income. The households with better activesof human capital have higher capacity to assign their members todifferent markets; hence, the diversification of employments occursin the households with better demographic characteristics. Thechildren of common land owners benefit more than their parentsof non agricultural employments, since age and schooling levelare key factors to accede to better remunerated employmentsoutside agriculture.Las familias rurales se incorporan cada vez más a actividadesdistintas de la agricultura, porque representan un apoyo importantepara compensar los bajos ingresos agrícolas. Por otro lado,la mayor interrelación entre el campo y la ciudad facilita la participaciónen los mercados laboral y de comercio formal e informal,ampliando las capacidades de desarrollo de las economíasrurales, y causando una disminución en la importancia relativadel ingreso agrícola dentro del ingreso rural total. El ingresorural ya no equivale al ingreso agrícola en el campo mexicano.En este ensayo se analiza el papel del empleo rural no agrícola(ERNA) a través de los resultados obtenidos mediante entrevistasy la aplicación de una encuesta a 70 familias de las comunidadesde Sta. María Magdalena y la Cañada de Madero, ambas ubicadasen el municipio de Tepeji del Río de Ocampo en el estado deHidalgo, México. Se examinan las distintas fuentes de empleo noagrícola y el ingreso que de ellas se deriva, el cual representamás del 84% del ingreso total. El ingreso obtenido a través de lamigración es significativo para algunas familias; sin embargo, lasremuneraciones provenientes de los mercados locales tienen elmayor impacto compensador del bajo ingreso agrícola. Los hogarescon mejores activos de capital humano tienen mayor capacidadpara asignar a sus miembros a diferentes mercados, por loque la diversificación de empleos se presenta en los hogares conmejores características demográficas. Los hijos de los ejidatariosse benefician más que sus padres de los empleos no agrícolas,debido a que la edad y el nivel escolar son factores clave paraacceder a empleos mejor remunerados fuera de la agricultura

Profitability analysis for natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) production in Oaxaca, Mexico

El cultivo del hule ha sido una buena alternativa de producción para las regiones del trópico húmedo. Este trabajo presenta los resultados de la estimación de costos de producción y formula algunos indicadores de rentabilidad del norte del estado de Oaxaca. Se definieron tres unidades representativas de producción (URP) de 2.5, 5 y 16 ha; mismas que se trabajaron en paneles. La metodología empleada se apegó a la establecida por la Asociación Americana de Economía Agrícola. Los resultados muestran que el costo económico por URP asciende a $13.66,$10.95 y $11.65, el financiero a$7.52, $6.98 y$9.60, y el flujo de efectivo a $18.94,$13.02 y $11.99 por kilogramo de hule. Los costos de producción evaluados revelan que las unidades de producción con características similares a las URP de 2.5 y 16 ha poseen viabilidad económica limitada. Por lo anterior, deben integrar innovaciones técnicas que permitan reducir costos, aumentar rendimientos, mejorar calidad del producto y en algunos casos renovar plantaciones

Análisis comparativo del comercio agropecuario de tres países (México, China y Canadá) con Estados Unidos de América (1990-2011)

The commercial flow of agricultural and livestock products towards the United States of America (US) from three of its primary commercial partners, was analyzed. During the last three years, China has become the principal commercial supplier for the US, in detriment to Canada and México. The 2008 economic crisis impacted agricultural and livestock exports, especially Canada’s. In spite of this, that country and México lead the agricultural and livestock imports to the USA, and present greater specialization than China. In the future, and taking into account the high growth indexes of the latter, a higher competition is to be expected, particularly in products with longer shelf-life, which affects mostly Canada. México continues to be leader in category 08, and no competition from China can be foreseen.Se analizó el flujo comercial de los productos agropecuarios hacia Estados Unidos de América (EE.UU.), provenientes de sus tres principales socios comerciales. En los últimos tres años China se ha colocado como el principal proveedor co-mercial de EE.UU., en detrimento de Canadá y México. La crisis económica de 2008 afectó las exportaciones agropecua-rias, especialmente las de Canadá. Pese a lo anterior, dicho país y México lideran las importaciones agropecuarias de EE.UU. y presentan mayor especialización que China. A fu-turo, y considerando los altos índices de crecimiento de este último, es de esperar una mayor competencia, especialmente en los productos con mayor vida de anaquel, lo que afecta principalmente a Canadá. México sigue siendo líder en la ca-tegoría 08 y no se prevé competencia con China