AGROINDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SUGAR IN “LA HUASTECA” SAN LUÍS POTOSÍ, MÉXICO

Abstract

Sugarcane is the main crop of “La Huasteca” San Luis Potosi, there are four sugar mills are supplied
with raw material during the harvest (zafra). The agroindustry has changed dramatically since the introduction of sugarcane in the sixteenth century as an alternative crop to meet the growing needs mainly sugar (sucrose), panela, molasses and aguardiente (rum) from a heterogeneous population in a silver mining area, for what the current situation is a reflection of its history. The goal of this study is to describe the agroindustry development in a social space, “La Huasteca”, that has been considered frontier from in the 20th century and the recent performance of the sugar cane agroindustry is analyzed, mainly its growth from 1960 to 2000 and the present efforts at competitiveness, productive diversification in the Mexican market.