Analysis of the Competitive Profile of the Cocoa Production Chain in the Department of Arauca

Abstract

This article presents the results of the research entitled <em>Análisis del perfil competitivo de los principales sectores definidos en el Plan Regional de Competitividad para el departamento de Arauca</em>, and also records the special characteristics of the cocoa production chain. This article is intended to determine if the cocoa sector has the necessary characteristics to become an enclave economic activity, and an agglomeration from which it is possible to boost the economic and social development of the territory. For this purpose, a qualitative methodology of multimodal approach has been used, implemented through semi-structured interviews with representative actors of the production chain. With the gathering and subsequent analysis of the information, it was determined that there are objective conditions that support the prioritization of the cocoa sector in the Regional Competitiveness Plan, but that there are also factors that prevent the competitiveness of the sector from approaching ideal levels. In this sense, it is important to note that there is a need to develop coordinated processes within the active social actors in the territory, with the main purpose of articulating some comparative advantages represented in excellent agroecological conditions, with business dynamics aimed at a complexization of productive activity aimed to the generation of value.