REGIONAL ECONOMIC BALANCE OF THE PEAR INDUSTRY IN THE UPPER RÍO NEGRO AND NEUQUÉN VALLEY

Argentina is the world’s biggest exporter and fifth largest producer of pears. The region of the upper valley of the Rio Negro and Neuquén rivers generates over 80% of pear production in Argentina (650,000 t, 22,500 ha). This study aims to quantify the value of fresh and industrialized processing of pear in the region by 2010 and its evolution since 2001, and to analyse the behavior of regional income and measure the contribution of each stage of the process chain value. To calculate the regional income import prices and/or wholesalers of the major external destinations of Argentina pear (fresh or industrialized) and the domestic wholesale prices of the MCBA are considered, discounting all the added costs outside the region (outside the border of Argentina and wholesale brokerage for domestic market). To assess regional expenditures marketing costs, transportation, preparation, preservation and production are considered. The results indicate that the regional pear income was 338 million dollars for 2010, corresponding to 95.9% in fresh (74% by volume) (85.7% and 14.3% export market) and 4.1% for processing. The regional income represents approximately 27% of consumption. For the period 2001-2010 there is a growing trend in international prices in dollars which increased income, particularly since 2005 by the appreciation of the currencies of the supplier countries in relation to the dollar. However, in this period internal costs increased, affecting the operating results in 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2010, while 2008 was the best performance (profit).