Agrotechnology

Evolution of the commercialization of asparagus in Argentina

10^th International Conference on AGRICULTURE & HORTICULTURE

October 02-04, 2017 London, UK

Ana María Castagnino, Karina E Diaz, Sabrina Mondini, W John Rogers, Andrea Guisolis, Oscar Liverotti, José Fernandez Lozano and Mario E Peralta

UNCPBA, Argentina
Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina, Argentina
University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
University of Belgrano, Argentina

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Agrotechnology

Abstract:

Asparagus is a perishable, seasonal horticultural product that lies amongst the first fifteen commercialized vegetables in Argentina, a market that needs dietary diversification given that 70% of annual consumption is concentrated in just five species: potato, tomato, onion, squash and carrot. The aim of the current work is to analyse the commercial situation in Argentina based upon the incoming volume registered by Buenos Aires Central Market, the main national point of reference. To this end the following aspects were evaluated: tendency in incoming volume between 2000 and 2016 (TIV), region of origin (RO), volume and country of origin of imports (VI and OI) and the evolution of commercialized volume and mean price through 2016 (EP). Data were analyzed by ANOVA-LSD (P�0.05). In TIV, the mean annual incoming volume was 685t, with a decreasing tendency, where the period 2000-2007 was outstanding, with an annual mean of 8% compared to the total of the study period. 93% of the total commercialized volume corresponded to the period September to December, demonstrating the marked seasonality of the production. For RO, the following provinces stood out: San Juan (51%) and Buenos Aires (43%), followed by Córdoba (5%), Corrientes (2%), Mendoza (0,2%), Salta and Santa Fe (0.1%). For OI, of the total received by the Central Market, 97.6% corresponded to asparagus produced in Argentina, and only 2.4% was imported, in counter-season, from May to August, from Chile (May) and Peru (May-August). VI in 2016 was 8.7t/year in total (Peru 8.3 and Chile 0.4). Regarding EP, the annual mean for 2016 was 3.62 US$.kg-1, with the lowest price in December (1.6 US$.kg-1) and the highest in August (5.13 US$.kg-1). These results indicate the need to intensify the implementation of strategies aimed at promoting the production and consumption of asparagus in Argentina; regarding the former, this is because it is a perennial crop of great economic and social value, and, regarding the latter, since it is a non-traditional vegetable of high nutritional quality. Given the notably seasonal nature of its internal production, it could be added that the Argentinean asparagus market also represents an opportunity for producers and exporters from other countries, as well as for those national entrepreneurs who orientate their production towards obtaining early produce under glasshouse conditions.

Biography :

Ana María Castagnino is a Horticulture Specialist (UNIPI, Italy) with a Master's Degree in Business Management (UNCPBA, Argentina), and is Professor of Horticulture at UCA, Buenos Aires and Associate Professor at UNCPBA. She is a member of CRESCA (Regional Centre for the Systemic Study of Agro-Food Chains) and directs the programme "Promotion of the production and consumption of asparagus and other non-traditional vegetables".