Economía circular de la producción de frutilla (Fragaria x ananassa) en el mercado San Bolívar de Riobamba

Abstract

Strawberry is an important crop in the Ecuadorian economy; however, several factors influence losses in strawberry production, mainly related to the cultivation system, including the inadequate management of raw materials within the sales sites. Strawberry production is affected by the large generation of organic waste that is not treated or eliminated correctly, causing a negative impact on the environment. This research applied a descriptive-quantitative method to quantify organic waste within strawberry production in the "San Bolivar de Riobamba" market. The study was carried out through surveys over three months (December, January, and February). The highest incidence of waste was in February, with the greatest scope of waste occurring in week two, where 33.33% of waste was generated from 14 kg boxes. The month with the lowest waste index was December, with 864 kg of waste. With the amount of waste generated within the market, a pilot design was proposed for using organic waste through the principles of circularity in the circular economy, by making strawberry jam in two 500g presentations. An analysis of the cost of valorization of the waste obtained from the production of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) was conducted based on the proposed use, using financial indicators: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and cost-benefit (C/B) with a five-year projection. An IRR of 46.34% was reached, which is higher than the capital cost rate of 9.76%. Given an IRR higher than the capital cost rate, the project is expected to generate a return greater than the minimum investment, indicating it is a viable project. Likewise, the cost-benefit ratio result of 1.35, being greater than one, is financially acceptable, meaning that for every dollar invested, 0.64 dollars of profitability will be obtained. In terms of the previously calculated indicators, an NPV of $101,607.44 was obtained, which, being greater than zero, means the project will add this value to the company, demonstrating the investment is profitable.