Proposal for the grouping of small corn producers to achieve economic efficiency in the State of Mexico

Abstract

In the State of Mexico, there is a great diversity of corn producers, from the most technified to those of subsistence, the latter are related to small production units, which often have problems for not reaching competitive prices in inputs and services derived from the low volume required per unit, increasing their costs above the average productive scale. The present work focuses on the economic efficiency of producers based on the comparison of average unit costs, for which a documentary analysis that optimizes these costs (mobilization of inputs, production, costs of services of agricultural work and machinery) is proposed. The grouping and association of producers that will allow such cost optimization is proposed. In the case of the mobilization of inputs and production, it was based on the load capacity of different transport units, while the acquisition of machinery was based on reducing the costs of tillage services and the size of the group of producers. The results indicate that the grouping for mobilization of improved seed (IPUIS) is 33-40 ha or 6-27 PUs reducing the cost by 55%, in the case of fertilizer (IPUF) is 15-25 ha or 3 to 14 PUs which allows to reduce the cost by 27%, the acquisition of machinery (IPUTR) is profitable from 40 ha and implies the integration of 6 to 27 PUs and a reduction of costs by 10%; while for the mobilization of production (IPUCM), it implies 4-10 ha or 1 and 3 PUs, which reduces costs by 38%. Finally, the comprehensive IPU suggests the grouping of 40 ha, which would reduce costs by 55, 38, 10 and 48%, respectively.