Structures of Labor Inequality in the Main Mexican Avocado Enclave

• Autor: Saldaña Contreras, José Luis
• Formato: artículo
• Fecha de Publicación: 2025
• Institución: Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
• Repositorio: Revistas - Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
• Lenguaje: español
• OAI Identifier: oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/30643
• Enlace del recurso: http://revistas.pucp.edu.pe/index.php/debatesensociologia/article/view/30643
• Nivel de acceso: acceso abierto
• Materia: Brechas estructurales; Segmentación laboral; Agroindustria aguacatera; Enclave productivo; Structural gaps; Labor segmentation; Avocado agro-industry; Productive enclave

This study analyzes structural inequality in employment within the avocado agro-industrial enclave of Michoacán, Mexico. It examines income distribution asymmetries, labor segmentation mechanisms, and heterogeneity in contractual conditions, among other aspects. Through a mixed-methods research design, quantitative analyses (indices and coefficients) are integrated with qualitative evidence obtained from interviews and ethnographic observation. The findings indicate a concentration of surplus among large producers and traders, while a significant number of agricultural workers face labor precarity and limited access to formal employment and social security schemes. The study concludes that the agro-export specialization, structured as a productive enclave, has perpetuated structural inequalities and a dependency position, expressing the need for public policy interventions and other measures to reduce these disparities.