FRUIT PRODUCTION AND FRUIT PULP EXTRACTION: AN ALTERNATIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHEAST REGION OF BAHIA, BRAZIL.
Antonio Carlos de Araujo; Ahmad Saeed Khan; Lucia Maria Ramos Silva.
Abstract
The fruit pulp agroindustry is considered an alternative for the economic recovery of Brazil's cocoa producing region, typified by the southeastern portion of the Brazilian state of Bahia. Our research examines this agroindustrial segment to determine the financial viability of fruit pulp extraction and processing at different production levels. Our data is of a primary nature and was obtained by interviewing administrators o f four different sized fruit-pulp extraction and processing plants. The plants selected had maximum production capacities of 100, 500, 1000, or 5000 tons of fruit pulp per year. Indicators of investment analysis and the cost theory for determining the economics of scale are employed in this study. The results show the existence of economies of scale, identifying the plant that extracted and processed 5000t of fruit pulp per year as the more financially viable. It is concluded that fruit pulp processing can benefit the rural area, stimulating fruit production and providing an important source of income and employment.
Keywords
Submitted date:
04/20/2000
Accepted date:
01/15/2001