Tracing the trail of table grapes: The globalization of the Sonoran table grape industry

Abstract

At first glance, the Sonoran table grape industry may seem to fit the profile of a typical non-traditional agro-export system; and thus it might be expected that most of the generally accepted distinguishing characteristics of such systems would also be found here. However, a closer look at each link of this particular global commodity chain, and a greater appreciation of the historical precedents of the production region, reveals that individuals, rather than transnational corporations, are able to exert fairly high levels of control over the system, and reap a fair share of the benefits. Global commodity chain analysis, coupled with a political economy perspective, reveals that important changes further up the chain, at the retailing link, may in the future determine more of how table grapes are grown and distributed, and how the benefits of this production system are distributed. The analysis of changing agro-food systems is important because of their central role in determining the course of a nation and the well being of its people; in essence, as the food system goes, so goes the country. In diverse locations around the globe, food is increasingly being produced, distributed and marketed under the dictates of transnational corporations, which changes the role that nations, communities and individuals play in the global food system. Thus in recent years social scientists have been adding to the corpus of studies that constitute the political economy of the global agro-food system; this study intends to contribute to our knowledge of this important and rapidly evolving field.