COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS OF PINEAPPLE CROPS (Annanas comosus L.), MAIZE (Zea mays L) AND BEAN (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) CROPS IN LA FRAILESCA, CHIAPAS, MÉXICO

Abstract

As an alternative for some zones of the La Frailesca region in Chiapas, México, where maize
(Zea mays L.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are cultivated, of low profitability attributed to soils with acid pH (5.6-6.3) and clay sand texture, the MD-2 pineapple crop was transferred through a one-hectare module, applying adequate technological development to producers of low economic resources to improve their level of income, and improve their connection to the market. Through the profitability
analysis of maize, bean and pineapple crops, a prior approximation to the benefit-cost relationship was carried out; results show that the pineapple crop was the most profitable with $2.67 pesos. Then, the competitiveness of each crop was analyzed using the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) (Monkey and Pearson, 1989); calculating the indicators of competitiveness (RCP), made up by the added value and the intermediate consumption. Pineapple showed an index of competitiveness of 0.13, equivalent to 13 %
of the added value, destined by the producer to paying manual and mechanized labor, and land, and 87% meant the net earnings; compared to the bean and maize crops, they had competitiveness indexes of 0.64 and 0.53, respectively, which means that even if they have market participation according to this indicator, it is at a lower scale. Therefore, the cultivation of pineapple represents the best economic alternative for producers in La Frailesca.