Marketing of goats in the northwest of the province of Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

Even when not exploited to its limits, due to technical and economic constraints, goat raising plays an important role within peasant systems in NW Córdoba, Argentina. Usually, the commercialisation process is blamed for the backwardness faced nowadays by goat-raising peasants. This paper focuses on the study of the different stages and social agents involved in the commercialisation process. It aims to determine the nature of the relationship between peasants and the other social agents involved in the process. The goat-production system is analysed at a local level, focusing on the survey of productive data of the region under study. Focused interviews were addressed to peasants, local traders, and civil servants. The different commercialisation channels for kids were described from the farming system to the retail shop. Two main commercialisation channels were identified (with some variations), allowing peasants to diversify their trading strategy.