Markets, myths and middlemen : a study of potato marketing in central Peru

The Chapter I literature review questions this characterization, common to both the "historical" and "technocratic" approaches, noting inconsistencies between the meager evidence presented in the studies and their conclusions. An integrated view of potato marketing in Central Peru is presented in Chapters II-VI, which cover: (1) production, consumption, and marketing trends since 1945, within and between the central Sierra and Coast regions; (2) costs and returns to potato production and distribution in the Mantaro and Canete Valleys serving Lima (including organization of rural trade, marketing margins, freight rates, and social relationships among marketing participants; (3) potato marketing in Lima, focusing on wholesalers" activities; and (4) potato consumption trends and characteristics in Lima, concluding that consumption did not fall during the 1970"s, as is commonly held. A final chapter synthesizes the key arguments and compares study results with the consensus on domestic potato marketing; policy implications are discussed. A 9-page bibliography (1960-84) is appended.