Abstract

MUNOZ B., JOHANNA ALIXA; RODRIGUEZ C., LUIS FELIPE  and  BERMUDEZ C., LILIA TERESA. Analysis of the competitiveness of the lulo production system (Solanum quitoense Lam.) in three municipalities of Nariño. rev.colomb.cienc.hortic. [online]. 2013, vol.7, n.2, pp.173-185. ISSN 2011-2173.

Lulo is considered a promising crop because of its nutraceutical value, which makes it appealing to domestic and international markets. Colombia, forming part of this fruit's origin, has optimal environmental conditions for this crop and ample variability; taking advantage of these benefits could make this crop competitive. Currently, this crop has several problems in Colombia that limit its productivity and competitiveness with only 8.2 t ha^-1 of the potential 27.0 t ha^-1 being produced on average; leading to the ongoing abandonment of this crop and consequently a loss of labor and a lower quality of life for farmers. This study sought to provide the means for a competitive analysis of the lulo production system. A nonexperimental methodological design was used. The studied areas presented an altitudinal range for this crop of between 1,788 m a.s.l. in the La Florida district in the municipality of Colón and 2,480 m a.s.l. in the Botanilla district in the municipality of Cartago (Nariño, Colombia). In general, yields are low, although the average yield of the studied area was 8.5 kg/plant. The plants are produced by the farmers themselves and only a few are bought at a specialized nursery.

Keywords : efficiency; productivity; profitability; competitiveness; Andean crops.

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