Resumo

CALLEJAS-JUAREZ, Nicolás et al. Present situation and market perspectives for prickly pear, nopalito and derivates in the State of Mexico, 2006. Agrociencia [online]. 2009, vol.43, n.1, pp.73-82. ISSN 2521-9766.

The lack of a marketing plan, low demand, the concentration and seasonal production of prickly pear (Opuntia amyclaea T.) and nopalito (Opuntia spp.), are responsible for the fact that part of their production in the state of México is not harvested and is not commercialized. To analyze the offer, the demand and the price of these products, the methodology of the value chain, the policy analysis matrix (PAM) and matrix of strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats (SOWT) were employed. In the analysis of the consumption of prickly pear and nopalito through a random sample of 300 housewives of the Federal District and the Metropolitan Area, it was found that 55 % consider presentation as the main characteristic for acquiring the product, 25 % the quality and 20 % the price. The profitability of the rainfall production of prickly pear and nopalito in the state of México, measured with the benefit-cost relationship, indicates that for each peso invested, 3.16 and 3.12 pesos are obtained. Competetiveness, measured with the private cost relationship, indicates that for each peso invested the cost of the internal factors represents 28 and 23 % of the investment. The principal strategies for solving the problem of the concentration of production are the recovery of the old and unattended plantations, the cultivation of varieties with higher demand in the market, the increase of the irrigated surface, industrial transformation and the implementation of a marketing plan to motivate consumption.

Palavras-chave : Opuntia amyclaea T.; Opuntia spp.; value chain; SOWT; profitability; competetiveness.