Expenditures and economic viability of pepper production in southern Goiás

Abstract

The production of vegetable crops is little explored by producers. It is mainly explored by small family farmers. Since vegetable crops have a high need for labour and technology, they have become a major source of exploitation by families settled by the agrarian reform. This study sought to describe the production system of a type of Capsicum frutescens peppers, commonly known as malagueta pepper, and peppers of the variety C. baccatum var. praetermissum, popularly known as pimenta cumari. The data used in the study were gathered through individual interviews by means of a previously structured and tested questionnaire. The main factor contributing to the production of pepper is the proximity to markets that comprise this production. Another factor encouraging the production of pepper in the settlement is the product acceptance in the domestic market, since it does not require a great use of technology nor even of services that could encumber the production. The settlers get good prices when they market their production, and sometimes profits are up to 75 percent greater than expenditures. Only the organization of production should be improved.