Market Study for Prefeasibility Analysis of Sweet Potato Derivatives Production and Commercialization in Cochabamba (Bolivia)

Abstract

This article shows the results obtained from the sweet potato crop current production situation at national level, commercial diagnosis as a primary product, and a preliminary study on the behavior and acceptance of different tubers and fruits snacks, as well as frozen pre-fried potatoes will be exhibited in the Cochabambino market as the bases for the substitute products proposal derived from the Bolivian sweet potato. The primary information sources were online surveys carried out on three interest groups: Snacks and frozen pre-fried potatoes consumer, restaurants that use frozen pre-fried potatoes as part of their offer and supermarket chains that sell these products. The work focused on establishing the primary production and trade balance values of sweet potato in Bolivia, in addition to calculating the total demand, total supply, and apparent unsatisfied demand of the snacks types preferred by consumers and frozen pre-fried potato sticks, due to limited secondary information. From there, this paper established the market viability criteria for supply development of new substitute products derived from sweet potato, as well as technically establishing the need to have better prospects for the cultivation of Bolivian sweet potato and promote it at the national level, taking into account the nutritional benefits and the economic impact for producer families. Finally, it was possible to characterize the sweet potato derivatives potential consumers that are intended to be developed at a commercial level, considering the values of unsatisfied demand calculated in the Cochabamba market.