Determining factors for economic upgrading in the global value chain of the blackberry fruit cluster in Los Reyes, Michoacán, Mexico

Abstract

The agricultural sector in Mexico has a historically significant role in the national production structure. This article examines the case of blackberry production in the municipality of Los Reyes in the state of Michoacán, as this region is the leading producer of berries with a clear export orientation. Despite this, producers have a low share of the benefits generated by international marketing dynamics. The central objective is to measure the impact of variables such as innovation, public policy, dependence, inequalities among actors, and the level of organization on a producer’s ability to scale within the Global Value Chain (GVC) and strengthen their economic and social position within the chain for improved and greater participation. The methodology employed is partial least squares technique for measurement, which results show that innovation, public policies, and dependence and inequalities significantly explain the producers' potential for scaling within the GVC.