Identification of product losses and waste in the links of the cocoa value chain in the provinces of cotopaxi and pastaza

Abstract

In this article, we analyze the waste and losses in the links of the cocoa value chain in the provinces of Cotopaxi and Pastaza. To this aim, information on the volumes of cocoa production in each province was described. Subsequently, the impact of the 2020 pandemic on cocoa production was analyzed. For this,
the Student's t contrast was applied to this variable in the aforementioned provinces. Finally, a description was made of the intensity with which waste and losses are generated in the main links corresponding to the value chain of cocoa production. It was determined that the links of collection and extraction of grains, as well as that of grafting, were the most representative in the waste of the value chain. In the same way, considerable losses were evidenced in the handling of the product and the pruning of diseases or pests.

Keywords: Art, cocoa, value chain, product losses, waste.

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