Resumo

ISAAC-MARQUEZ, Ricardo. The Expansion of Oil Palm Farming in Campeche. From Small Producers to Transnational Agroindustry. Región y sociedad [online]. 2021, vol.33, e1370.  Epub 04-Jun-2021. ISSN 2448-4849.  https://doi.org/10.22198/rys2021/33/1370.

Objective: to describe the policies which have promoted the cultivation of oil palm in Campeche, the current situation, and the future perspectives. Methodology: a documentary review was carried out; a productivity survey was applied to a representative sample of palm growers from the state of Campeche (n=137). Results: oil palm expansion has been executed under a model of small-scale peasant plantations with little technology, low productivity, and dependence on government support. Limitations of the study: the characterization of oil palm cultivation focuses on the practices of small producers, who represent 95% of palm growers in the state. Value: this study contributes to the discussion on the expansion of oil palm in Mexico, by means of the Campeche case study, which has not been previously documented. Conclusions: small producers are at risk of disappearing due to the change in public policies and the arrival of transnational agro-industrial companies with large-scale plantations, whose potential environmental and social impacts have yet to be evaluated.

Palavras-chave : palm oil; palm growers; small producers; rural development; Campeche.