Total costs and income

The results of the surveys indicate that the sale price ranged from $30.00 to $120.00 MXN per kg of fresh fruit, values ​​that are relatively low compared to the prices that this product reaches in the markets of the United States of America (18.51 dollars per kg of fresh fruit) and Europeans (14.27 euros per kg of fresh fruit) (^{Arias et al., 2015}), even in Brazil, with R $35.00 ($162.40 MXN) (^{Lima et al., 2009}).

On the other hand, of the total operating costs, the fixed costs represented 26.81% and the variables 73.19% (Table 2), the latter decrease in the second year, because from the second year of production the plant is pruned to obtain regrowth plants, taking advantage of the fact that cape gooseberry is a perennial shrub with indeterminate growth (Fisher et al., 2014), which favors capital savings in the purchase of seeds, sowing and transplantation in 71.46%, prolonging the crop life for more than 20 years when grown in a greenhouse (^{Muniz et al., 2014}).

In the same context, the production costs calculated in this study, they exceeded by 97.37% the production costs reported by ^{Lima et al. (2009}) for the establishment of 1 ha of cape gooseberry in the field, in Brazil, with an investment of R 18 114.00 $ ha^-1 ($98 217.16 MXN). While in Colombia the average production costs amount to 17 848.975 $ ha^-1 ($99 954.26 MXN) (^{Coral et al., 2012}).

For his part, ^{Altamirano (2010}) mentioned that in Ecuador the production costs for this crop ranged from 3 000 to 7 000 dollars ha^-1, these costs are low with respect to those estimated in the present investigation, due to the cost of the greenhouse, irrigation system and drilling of the well for irrigation water. However, the investment obtained is offset by the production volume and the fresh fruit yield per unit area, which yielded an estimated yield of 52 650 Mg ha^-1 (^{Sabino et al., 2018}), exceeding that reported in field (14.5 Mg ha^-1) in Colombia (^{Fisher et al., 2014}), the main world producer, this allows to have a favorable equilibrium point, which indicates that by selling 51.48% of the production during the first year and 42.76% in subsequent years of production projection, the producer recovers his initial investment in four years.

In this regard, ^{Blendlin et al. (2015)} mentioned that the establishment of the cultivation of cape gooseberry is highly profitable, due to the prices that this fruit can reach, in such a way that with the sales of the first year the investment costs are covered, of which, the costs of operation and maintenance of the crop are the activities that require the most capital. Likewise, it is evident that production costs vary according to the level of technology adopted and the availability of different resources (natural, economic and human) for the establishment of this crop (^{Lima et al., 2009}).

Economic evaluation

When proposing the scenarios with the minimum ($30.00 MXN) and maximum ($120.00 MXN) sale price and with the changes in production costs due to inflation (^{Banco de Mexico, 2019}), it was observed that as the price increased, the NPV, the IRR and the B/C ratio also increased (Table 3).

The results obtained with the minimum price scenario ($30.00 MXN) were lower than that mentioned by Bendlin et al. (2015) for the cultivation of cape gooseberry, who obtained a NPV of R$484 556 ($2 627 344.00 MXN), the IRR of 96.89% and the B/C ratio of 1.68, because these authors made the 10-year projection. However, despite the difference in time, both studies were cost-effective.

Additionally, when considering the higher sale price and comparing it with the minimum price scenario, an increase was observed in all financial indicators. In the same sense, the increase in production costs reflected a decrease in financial indicators with respect to the minimum price scenario. This trend is similar to what happens with these indicators under different scenarios of price or production costs reported in the cultivation of cape gooseberry, in the field, in the country of Chile (^{Ministerio de Agricultura de Chile, 2010}).

Even with price increases and production costs, the project is viable, which confirms the high economic potential of the cape gooseberry cultivation with a marginal profit of up to 95% (^{Barirega, 2014}), influenced by the great adaptability of this crop under very adverse environmental conditions, so it is to be expected that in regions of Mexico with favorable temperature and humidity conditions, high yields and fruit quality can be achieved (^{Mora et al., 2006}), coupled with the fact that its production in the same place can last for several years and even more in protected agriculture conditions (^{Muniz et al., 2014}).

The foregoing confirms that cape gooseberry presents economic indicators similar to those of other exotic crops in Mexico such as strawberry (Fragaria sativa), whose macro-tunnel cultivation presented an IRR of 18%, initial investment of $325 290.00 MXN and the cost benefit ratio of 1.6 (^{Olmos-Oropeza et al., 2015}). While the open pit cranberry cultivation has shown better financial indicators, with NPV of 134 321 dollars ($2 686 420.00 MXN), IRR of 25.54% and an initial investment of 47 902 dollars ha^-1 ($958 040.00 MXN) (^{Benavides, 2015}).

Despite the above, the cultivation of cape gooseberry could be more competitive because it adapts to any climate for its production and on the other hand, when the price in the Mexican markets increases, even more so when the price is $120.00 MXN per kg of fresh fruit; however, its sale will depend on the places where it is marketed and the consumer’s demands (^{Almanza and Fischer, 1993}).

Profile of respondents

On the other hand, the age of the respondents ranged from 21 to 78 years old and with various occupations (Figure 3A), whether in the private or public sector, own business and housewives; with various levels of study (Figure 3B), highlighting that the majority have undergraduate studies (58.3%) and few with primary (0.7%).

Figure 3 Economic activity/occupation (A) and level of studies (B) of the respondents and possible consumers of cape gooseberry in Mexico City. 

In addition to the above, income ranged from $5 000.00 to more than $20 000.00 MXN per month, highlighting that 26% had an income between $5 000.00 and $10 000.00 MXN (Figure 4A). Which shows that in this studied area the purchasing power is moderate, considering that the minimum wage at the date of this study was $88.36 ($2 650.00 per month), this affects the majority of consumers (67.3%) making their shopping in markets or flea markets near their homes (Figure 4B), places where 100% of those surveyed mentioned buying fresh seasonal fruits, highlighting bananas, apples, oranges, papaya, melons, mangoes and grapes and berries, of the latter the most consumed in order of importance were strawberry, cranberry, blackberry and raspberry.

Figure 4 Monthly income (A) and place of purchase (B) of the respondents and possible consumers of gooseberry fruit in Mexico City. 

The main reasons the aforementioned fruits are consumed were availability, taste, health, and price. 87% of those surveyed were willing to purchase the cape gooseberry fruit, at a price that ranged from $30.00 to $120.00 MXN, per kg of fresh fruit with calyx, which shows that in Mexico there is a potential demand for this fruit, as has been observed when exploring other markets as reported by ^{Barirega (2014}), in a study of the introduction of cape gooseberry in Uganda, where 67% of respondents were interested in the consumption of cape gooseberry, despite being a unknown fruit.

Additionally, it was identified in this study that the marketing channel for the cape gooseberry fruit is the distribution among the 1 420 local markets or tianguis of Mexico City (^{Secretaría de Desarrollo Economico del Distrito Federal, 2015}) and on the other hand , through wholesalers and retailers of commercial stores in the same city, where samples of the product are offered for tasting to customers, with the idea of highlighting the healthy properties due to their content of vitamins and medicinal benefits (^{Coral et al., 2012}).

Similar to what happens with other exotic fruits, the introduction of the gooseberry fruit has to do with the commercial strategy that is decided to implement, if it is not associated from the beginning to a defined commercial chain, the sales opportunity is conditioned to the market fluctuations (^{Ministerio de Agricultura de Chile, 2010}).

In addition to this, the possibility of using the fruit as a raw material for the bakery, confectionery, frozen food, packaging, international and specialty food restaurant industries and in the pharmacological industry can be considered (^{Ramadan, 2011}; ^{Muniz et al., 2014}).

Tasting tests

On the other hand, the tasting tests of the fruit showed that 18% considered it a sweet fruit, 41% sweet and acid, 18% acid and the rest (23%) tasteless. Regarding the smell of the fruit, 35.2% considered it acceptable and 64.8% considered it a pleasant-smelling fruit. In addition, 71% of the interviewees answered that the fruit of the cape gooseberry has a pleasant and striking color.

These characteristics were important factors for 76% of the respondents to be willing to consume it and 88% of the respondents to recommend the consumption of the cape gooseberry fruit, because the appearance and freshness of the fruit is a crucial factor in the purchase decision (Barbosa-Arias, 2018), which is also linked to the presentation of the product, whether the fruit with calyx or without calyx, the latter in addition to providing conservation, gives it exclusivity, increasing consumer interest (^{Almanza and Fischer, 1993}), this interest may increase as information related to the nutritional and medicinal value of this fruit is available, as well as knowledge about its processing for other forms of consumption, which could increase the promotion of its commercialization (^{Barbosa-Arias, 2018}).

Demand for cape gooseberry fruit

The statistical analysis of the demand for cape gooseberry fruit in the present investigation agrees with the economic theory regarding the signs of the variables studied (Table 4). Based on the t statistic, the variable that most influenced the demand for cape gooseberry fruit in the markets of Mexico City was the price per kg of fresh fruit, which indicates that for each additional unit in the price of cape gooseberry, demand decreases 17%, ceteris paribus.

However, it was also observed that as the educational level of the respondents increased, the acceptance of the cape gooseberry fruit, ceteris paribus, also increased. Likewise, even when the t statistic showed a weak relationship (0.07), there was a significant impact on demand, having, for each additional unit in the level of studies of the people surveyed, the demand increased 0.18%, ceteris paribus.

This is due to the fact that, in recent years the trend regarding the consumption of fresh fruits and functional foods has increased, this trend has been observed with the fruit of the cape gooseberry, which is becoming an important crop due to its adaptability and as functional food, thus representing an emerging market of growing economic importance (^{Ramadan, 2011}).

However, it is evident that at the beginning the consumer will show resistance to a new product, but, as consumers are informed about the product, they will include it in their consumption habits (^{Brambila, 2011}), coupled with the fact that the introduction of new products depends on the orientation of the market (^{Lukas and Fererell, 2000}). Despite this, strategies should be explored so that the consumer identifies an additional valuation in the product, which motivates their demand (^{Coral et al., 2012}).

It was also had that the income level of the respondents conditioned the decision to purchase the fruit, in such a way that, for each additional unit in income, the demand for cape gooseberry increased 0.22%, ceteris paribus, reaffirming that income is decisive in the consumption of a new product (^{Subin et al., 2003}), due to the fact that high prices reduce their consumption to a market niche in which only people with greater purchasing power are included (^{Muniz et al., 2011}).

In this sense, the potential consumers identified in this study are people who have an interest in nutraceutical foods and a curiosity for exotic and unknown products. In addition, they have the purchasing power to buy this type of fruit, considered as a luxury good and with greater demand in foreign markets with high purchasing power (^{Rodríguez et al., 2013}).

However, for the introduction of this fruit in Mexico, a marketing plan is necessary to make it known and implement the desire to purchase in potential consumers (^{Díaz and del Valle, 2016}), based on marketing programs that include tastings, recipes and promotion of scientific research on the benefits and their production process (^{Núñez and Monsalve, 2012}).

In addition, the sale of this product at a minimum price ($30.00 MXN) at harvest peaks would make it more accessible to a wider range of consumers (^{Muniz et al., 2011}). According to the regression model, an adjusted determination coefficient (R²) of 56% was obtained, which meant that the behavior of demand was described with the behavior of the independent variables.

Despite the fact that R² is low, in dichotomous response models, R² has limited value, since in most practical applications its value is between 20% and 60% (^{Gujarati and Porter, 2010}).