Abstract

AGUILAR SANCHEZ, Daniel  and  SANCHEZ SALAZAR, María Teresa. The Territorial Organization of Nopal Pad production in Tlalnepantla, Morelos. Invest. Geog [online]. 2022, n.108, e60490.  Epub Sep 12, 2022. ISSN 2448-7279.  https://doi.org/10.14350/rig.60490.

The municipality of Tlalnepantla has evolved from an economic structure based on self-consumption agriculture and forestry to the extensive production of nopal (prickly pear) pads for national and international consumption. This shift has changed its primary economic sector and fostered a new territory organization around this activity. This research aims to analyze the territorial organization process of the production chain of nopal pads grown in this municipality and its main implications regarding its territory and the producers involved. The study involved a survey of the physical and historical factors that have influenced the evolution of this activity. Additionally, information was directly collected in the field through the experiences of different types of producers. This was supplemented by data collected from statistical and bibliographic information to conduct a cartographic analysis and summary of the current territorial organization of nopal pad production in the municipality of Tlalnepantla. The results of our research revealed that the territorial organization of nopal pad production is partly managed by 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 nopal pad producers because of political factors and direct competition within the national market of this vegetable.

Keywords : territorial structure; territorial processes; production chain of the nopal pad; agricultural changes; commercial agriculture.

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