Demanda de la fruta de chamburo deshidratada en el cantón Ambato, provincia de Tungurahua.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to determine the demand for dehydrated Chamburo fruit in the City of Ambato, Province of Tungurahua. This study was based on market research, product engineering, and financial studies. In the case of the market study, direct observation and the application of surveys to potential customers in the city of Ambato were used as descriptive techniques. In order to understand the needs and expectations of the clients, engineering was developed based on the standards provided by the Ecuadorian National Institute of Standardization, which regulates and controls the parameters of humidity, total sugars, pH, acidity, fiber, ash, and the presence of Escherichia coli, molds, and yeasts. The financial study analyzed the break-even point, the benefit-cost ratio (B/C), the Present Net Value (NPV), and the Internal Rate of Return (IRR). As a result, 83,881 kg per year of product with the following bromatological characteristics were required: 11.50% moisture, 7.76 °Brix, total sugars 3.08%, pH 5.04, acidity 0.18, fiber 4.23%, ash 0.3% and the absence of microbial growth. The financial analysis showed an economic break-even point of US$22,838.00, a B/C ratio of 1.35, an NPV of US$8712.30, and an IRR of 20%. Therefore, it is concluded that the project is feasible for implementation under the conditions proposed in this work, with the recommendation to analyze the demand of nearby cities, for the organization's growth.