ESTRUCTURA DE COMERCIALIZACIÓN DE BOVINOS DESTINADOS PARA EL ABASTO DE CARNE EN LA REGIÓN DEL PAPALOAPAN, VERACRUZ, MÉXICO

The objectives were to identify the distribution channels, to characterize the Agents involved, as well as its role in marketing of cattle for slaughter in the Papaloapan´s region of Veracruz. Five sources of information were used: Producers, Introducers, Municipal slaughter house, Butcher and Consumers all groups were surveyed. The study was carried at seven municipalities, which are the largest cattle stock in the region (63,6%). Program SAS (2003) was utilized to calculate measures of central tendency, dispersion, frequencies and contingency tables between agents. Producers were the most agest (53 ±13 years old) and more experienced in the activity (24±14 years) group. The Introducers had the highest level of study (8±5 years) and years of service of the slaughterhouses were 51±10 years. The Producers send cattle to the slaughter by three channels: Introducer (34,8%), Butcher (58,8%) or him self (6,4%). The distribution of the 27 introducers at the region was non proportional among municipalities. Four “Mataderos” and three Municipal slaughter house with different levels of operation (269 to 7466 head per year) were identified. The 58,4% of butcher acquire cattle for slaughter in vivo, 34,0% purchasing carcasses of meat. We found a "new" component called "retailer", who buy meat at butcher's shop to resell in Mini-mart. The consumer show a half preference for meat consumption (42,0%) and a frequency of consumption of one to three times per week. The cattle breed intended for slaughter was (91,4%) crosses Brown Swiss x Cebu (75,4%)