ISHS Acta Horticulturae 820: VIII International Mango Symposium
STRUCTURE AND PRODUCTIVITY OF SPANISH MANGO INDUSTRY: A FARMERS SURVEY ANALYSIS |
| Authors: | S. Sayadi, J. Calatrava |
| Keywords: | mango, productivity, production structure, grower trade strategies |
| Abstract:
The expansion of mango cultivation on the mainland countries of the European Union, which began in the 1980s, is taking place mainly in the south-eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Despite the competition against the avocado and the cherimoya for land, and the strong pressure to transform agricultural land into tourist facilities, mango growing has steadily spread, today covering almost 1,000 ha in the area, with a total production of about 10,000 t, both for export and domestic markets. Mango orchards are located on gentle or levelled-out slopes, or on wide terraces, mainly on the coastal lands of Malaga province, but are also grown on steep slopes, either non-terraced or with tall, narrow terraces, particularly on the coast of Granada province (both provinces being located in SE Spain). Notwithstanding the increasing importance of the crop, few studies examine the productive and commercial structure, or the operational strategy of mango producers in this zone. No studies are available on the factors determining the crop’s productivity in the area. In this context, this paper analyses, firstly, the structure of the farms growing mangos and the nature of their production and marketing problems. Secondly, this study seeks to identify the factors determining mango productivity, by means of an econometric productivity model. The information used for these analyses came from a survey of 112 mango growers in the study area. Finally, based on these results, conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made for improving mango yield and hence profitability for growers in south-eastern Spain. | |
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