Typology and local supply of inputs of the production units of craft mezcal from the district of Tlacolula, Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of the certified craft mezcal Production Units in the Tlacolula district of Oaxaca, and to relate the supply of the raw material as a way to guarantee the continuity in quantity and quality of production.
Methodology: Socioeconomic, productive and marketing variables were defined for the design of the questionnaire.  Interviews were conducted with 71 producers of certified craft mezcal from seven municipalities in the Tlacolula district. Data were analyzed with the PRINCOMP, FASTCLUST and GLM procedures of the SAS statistical package.
Results: The cluster analysis identified five types of production units: 1) high production with direct sales to the consumer (7%), 2) high production with sales to stores (11.3%), 3) medium production with sales to stands in markets (31%), 4) medium production with direct sales to the consumer (19.7%), and 5) medium production with sales to the bottler (31%). The units with high production volume are those that have the future supply of agave guaranteed because they own extensive lands with cultivation of “espadin” agave (Agave angustifolia).
Limitations of the study: The use of the wild species depends on the availability of those varieties, for which the municipalities should control the extraction, and elaborate and apply care plans for them.
Findings/Conclusion: The production of certified mezcal in artisanal character allows finding different types of production units. The differences are attributed to availability, quantity of raw material used, production volume and marketing channel.