Prickly pear cactus, market and territory in Mexico: a capabilities approach

Abstract

An attempt is made to outline the current reality of the nopal fruit and nopal vegetable market in Mexico, but even more so to make visible certain capacities that already exist in the producing territories of the country. Thus, based on certain methodological tools (hierarchical clustering, correspondence analysis and chorematic method) and with the interpretative support of the capabilities approach, it is feasible to assert a certain dominant trait on each supply chain of the prickly pear (Patrón Solar) and prickly pear ( Dendritic pattern), anchored by differentiated consumption segments (nopal) and specialized homogeneous demand (prickly pear). But even more, when making visible the agricultural/rural dualities of the main weighted capacities, certain dominant flashes are evident that try to reverse the still scarce agro-industrial penetration that today subjugates to a greater extent in the territories with the presence of prickly pear production and not far from the nopal spaces. Perhaps it is possible to promote a certain multiplier effect by deepening the incidence of the remaining capacities in search of a comprehensive agri-food approach. It is concluded that Mexico, despite being the origin and dispersion of the plant, is not comparable neither due to the limited agro-industrial diversity in which it survives, much less due to the traditional criteria that still define quality in the market.