La concentración de agroindustrias rurales de producción de quesos en el noroeste del Estado de México: un estudio de caracterización.

The purpose of this paper was to contribute knowledge on the working and dynamics of rural agroindustries located in specific territories. Beyond aspects of profitability and based on the approach of Localised Agro-food Systems, the paper shows the specific characteristics of agroindustries specialised in cheese making in the municipality of Aculco, in the State of Mexico. The study was developed considering specific resources of the area, the economic actors who interact in the local productive chain, the dairy products produced, used technology in the manufacturing process, and a typology of firms was established as artisan cheesemakers, diversified enterprises and commercial enterprises. Cheese factories were differentiated by the volume of processed milk, the number of dairy products elaborated, type of labour, use of powdered milk, the use of cream skimmer, and by the organization activities. Agroindustry represented the central part of the local agro-food system since the links related to it (milk farmers and milk buyers) interacted only as suppliers of milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]