The Territorial Organization of Prickly Pear Cactus Pad production in Tlalnepantla, Morelos

Abstract

The municipality of Tlalnepantla has evolved from an economic structure based on self-consumption agriculture and forestry to the extensive production of prickly pear pads for national and international consumption. This shift has changed its primary economic sector and fostered a new organization of the territory around this activity. The objective of this research is to analyze the territorial organization process of the production chain of prickly pear pads grown in this municipality and its main implications, as regards its territory and the producers involved. To this end, the study was based on a survey of the physical and historical factors that have driven the development of this activity; subsequently, information was directly collected in the field through the experiences of different types of producers. This was supplemented by data collected from statistical and blbliographic information to conduct a cartographic analysis and summary of the current territorial organization of prickly pear pad production in the municipality of Tlalnepantla. The results of our research revealed that the territorial organization of this activity is partly managed by the local producers, which, in addition to its closeness to Mexico City, has benefited the production and commercial conditions; however, at the same time, it has resulted in the marginalization of another sector of prickly pear pad producers because of political factors and direct competition within the national market of this vegetable.