PRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL AND PROFITABILITY OF THE STRAWBERRY CROP (Fragaria fragariaXananassa (Weston) Duchesne) IN SALINAS, SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, MÉXICO

Abstract

The strawberry crop is known by its quick investment, intensive use of labor, and high consumption demand; thus, the productive potential and profitability of the strawberry crop (Fragaria fragaria X ananassa (Weston) Duchesne) was evaluated, in Salinas, San Luis Potosí, with the objective of diversifying economic options. The study was performed in the alternative crops module of Ejido Diego Martín, with an experiment with 12,000 strawberry plants, Albión cultivar, established with naked roots on 20 ridges, 60 m long and 1.4 m wide; 10 were padded with silver/black plastic film and the rest with white/black. The strawberry production per furrow and harvest was recorded during the April-November period, in 2014. The extrapolated yields were equivalent to 32,672 kg ha^-1, with an investment of $325,290 ha^-1 and total income of $522,755. The profitability analysis indicated that the yields recorded were similar to the national mean, and the benefit/cost relationship was 1.6, with an internal return rate of 18%.