Consumption and Market of Oecopetalum mexicanum (cachichin): a Tropical Fruit Tree in Mexico

Maite Lascurain
Unidad de Recursos Forestales Instituto de Ecologa, A.C.

Citlalli Lpez
Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales Universidad Veracruzana

Xalapa, Veracruz,

Mexico
International Symposium Underutilized Plant Species for food, nutrition, income and sustainable development

1 Introduction 2 Study area 3 Methodology

Background of this study: Inventory of wild edible fruits in Mexico 450 species in Mexico 90 species in the State of Veracruz

4 Fruit collection 5 Fruit processing

6
Local consumption and market

What is the role of these species for local livelihoods and conservation?

7
Some conclutions

8
Acknowlegements

1
Introduction 2 Study area

Oecopetalum mexicanum Limited distribution within the Northeast of Veracruz of Veracruz State, southeast of Chiapas State in Mexico and in Guatemala Rainforest-cloud forest (up to 25 meters height, fruits when 3 years old)

3
Methodology

4
Fruit collection

5
Fruit processing

6
Local consumption and market

7
Some conclutions

8
Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area 3 Methodology

State of Veracruz, Sierra of Misantla

Pueblo Viejo (847 inhabitants living in 207 households)

4 3

Fruit Objetivos collection

4 5

rea de Fruit Estudio processing 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico 7 Some conclutions

Plan 8 Investigacin Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area

Pueblo Viejo
Land tenure: small private property Economic activities: coffee, citrus fruits, maize and beans Remittances: relatives in the United States

3
Methodology

4 3
Objetivos Fruit collection

4 5

rea de Fruit Estudio processing 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico 7 Some conclutions

Plan 8 Investigacin Acknowlegemen ts

1
Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area

3
Methodology

Oecopetalum mexicanum (cachichin) in Pueblo Viejo:

Forest patches Coffee shaded plantations Home gardens

4 3
Objetivos Fruit collection

4 5

rea de Fruit Estudio processing 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico 7 Some conclutions

Plan 8 Investigacin Acknowlegemen ts

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Study area

Uses of Oecopetalum mexicanum (cachichin): Edible seed, with bitter taste Nutritional importance Traditional medicine Wood used to build ladders, hen run, beams

3
Methodology

4 3
Objetivos Fruit collection

5 4

Fruit rea de processing Estudio

6
Local 5 consumption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

7 6
First conclutions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area

Fruit is highly appreciated Eaten throughout the year It is consumed at any time of the day, alone or with a maize tortilla and chili sauce For self-consumption and local-regional market

3
Methodology

4 3
Objetivos Fruit collection

4 5

rea de Fruit Estudio processing 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico 7 Some conclutions

Plan 8 Investigacin Acknowlegemen ts

1 Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area 3 Methodology

Formal and open interviews Field observations Focus of the study:

Fruit collection system (forests / coffee plantations) Importance of fruit at household level (selfconsumption / market) Production chain (collection-market)

4 3

Fruit Objetivos collection

4 5
rea de Fruit Estudio processing 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico 7 Some conclutions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Objetives

Fruit season: April and May Collected from forests and -to a lesser degreefrom shaded coffee plantations and home gardens

3
Study area

4 3
Objetivos Methodology

5 4

Fruit rea de collection Estudio

6
Local 5 consumption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

Fruit collection is a festive event and an important mechanism to keep cohesion among friends and relatives

7 6
Some conclutions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1 Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area 3 Methodology

4 3

Fruit Objetivos collection

4 Fruit

rea de processing Estudio 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico 7 Some conclutions

Transported by collectors to their houses where they extend it throughout the house leaving it to dry under shade from 8 to 15 days

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Study area

Toasted in metal cylinders normally used to toast coffee beans

3
Methodology

4 3
Objetivos Fruit collection

4 5

rea de Fruit Estudio processing

6
Local 5 consumption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

7 6
Some conclutions

Can be stored toasted or dry up to 6 months

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1 Introduction

1
Introduccin 2 Study area 3 Methodology

All the households store enough fruit for self-consumption

4 3

Fruit collection Objetivos

From the total households: 97% collectors 5% processors 85% sell the fruit

4 Fruit

rea de processing Estudio 6 Local consumption 5 and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

7 6
Some conclutions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction
Collector 1 15% households Collector 2 80% households

1 Introduccin 2
Objetives

Collector and Procesor 3 2% households Local Processor 3% households

Only for selfconsumption

Fresh fruit

Toast fruit

3
Study area
Toast fruit

4 3
Objetivos Methodology

5 4

Getting rea de from the forest Estudio

Local vendors

6
Local 5 consumption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

Regional wholesalers

7 6
Some conclutions

External wholesalers

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Objetives

3
Study area

Findings: Traditional shaded coffee plantations used to be the most important economic activity. However, today price of cachichin is 50% higher compared with coffee grains

4 3
Objetivos Methodology

5 4

Getting rea de from the forest Estudio

6
Local 5 consuption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

7 6
First conclusions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Objetives

3
Study area

Present situation Local regional market stable Free access to fruit tress Minimum land use changes Future scenario Increase of migration to the US? Extending-intensifying market? Trade-offs Changes in cultural significance Balance income / self-consumption

4 3
Objetivos Methodology

5 4

Getting rea de from the forest Estudio

6
Local 5 consuption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

7 6
First conclusions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Study area

Thematic Session No. 3

3
Methodology

4 3
Objetivos Fruit collection

How do markets differ? Challenges and Opportunities in the markets of underutilized plants This case sums to other cases that demonstrate the relevance of key useful spices for self-consumption and income generation (conservation?), in a limited market context.

5 4

Fruit rea de processsing Estudio

6
Local 5 consumption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

7 6
First conclusions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

1
Introduction

1 Introduccin 2
Objetives

3
Study area

Thanks to the people of Pueblo Viejo

4 3
Objetivos Methodology

5 4

Getting rea de from the forest Estudio

6
Local 5 consuption and market Marco Terico Metodolgico

Comisin Nacional Forestal through Prorbol 2007 Programe for financing part of this study

7 6
Some conclutions

8 Investigacin

Plan

Acknowlegements

Thank you Muchas gracias!

Maite Lascurain
Unidad de Recursos Forestales Instituto de Ecologa, A.C.

Citlalli Lpez
Centro de Investigaciones Tropicales Universidad Veracruzana

maite.lascurain@inecol.edu.mx www.ecologia.edu.mx

citlalli_lb@yahoo.com www.uv.mx/CITRO/

Arusha, Tanzania. March 2008