Consumers' and Retailers' Attitudes Towards a Mexican Native Species
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
sustainability Article Consumers’ and Retailers’ Attitudes Towards a Mexican Native Species of Aztec Lily as an Ornamental Plant Yesica Mayett-Moreno 1,*, Jennie Sheerin Popp 2, Mauricio Sabogal-Salamanca 3 ID , Sandra Rodríguez-Piñeros 4, Edith Salomé-Castañeda 1 and Daniel Alberto Flores-Alonso 1 1 Agribusiness and Management Degree Programs, Universidad Popular Autonoma del Estado de Puebla, Puebla 72410, Mexico; [email protected] (E.S.-C.); danielalberto.fl[email protected] (D.A.F.-A.) 2 Honors College, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; [email protected] 3 Economics, Finance and Business Administration School, EAN University, Bogotá 110221, Colombia; [email protected] 4 Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecologia, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua 31000, Mexico; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +52-222-449-2202 Received: 23 November 2017; Accepted: 11 January 2018; Published: 17 January 2018 Abstract: The use of native ornamental plants in urban landscapes and ornamental consumers’ designs is one strategy to preserve biodiversity. Sprekelia formosissima (L.) Herb., known as Aztec lily (ALY), is one of the nearly 4000 species of native ornamental plants of Mexico. However, its domestic market is not yet developed and is virtually unknown. The objectives of this study were to: (1) compare consumers’ and retailers’ knowledge of ALY, and (2) to identify potential clusters of consumers and retailers based on their knowledge and preferences, such that marketing of the ALY could be best tailored to different market segments, leading to its sustainable commercialization. There were 464 interviews conducted in four nurseries in Mexico. Results showed only one consumer knew about the ALY; additionally, we found different behaviors in consumers and in retailers: those not interested in the ALY, but when they know it is Mexican they will acquire it; those interested no matter the ALY origin, and those who dislike the ALY because it is Mexican. Those answers suggest that improving consumers/retailers knowledge about this native flower could lead to a sustainable commercialization in Mexico, helping to ensure its conservation as well. Keywords: bulbous plants; cluster analysis; environmental education; endemic plants; local consumption; nurseries; sustainable marketing 1. Introduction Conservation is an environmental, social, and political process, operating in an economic context [1,2]. In developing countries, it becomes important to understand people’s perceptions, behaviors, and their social (culture, religion), economic, and political context in which biodiversity protection exists [1,3]. Ornamental plants are important for any ecological system, and for landscape design in different countries [4–6]; however, in developing countries, the use of native species is not common. In recent decades, the use of native plants by landscape professionals has increased due to improved access to information regarding native plants’ characteristics, as well as greater availability of those plants in marketing channels [7,8]. Native plants can also provide educational opportunities for residents regarding the importance of their natural environment [9]. Investment in native plants is typically cheaper than for foreign species, as they are well adapted to their region, and their acquisition and maintenance are not dependent on purchasing power. Sustainability 2018, 10, 224; doi:10.3390/su10010224 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Sustainability 2018, 10, 224 2 of 15 Floriculture is a very profitable activity; its value per cultivated unit is higher compared with other crops (such as horticulture, fruits, spices, and cereals) [10]. On the other hand, there is evidence that ornamental plants’ prices could be less relevant to the final consumer, particularly when flowers are used for religious and festivities purposes. Their acquisition is an ancient human activity linked with our spiritual activities and beliefs [11]. 1.1. International Ornamental Challenges and Opportunities The international scenario in 2014 showed that the Mexican value of live plant and ornamental exports greatly exceeded that of imports (2.5 million USD vs. 7.1 million USD, respectively). Flowers, cocoons, fresh or dried flowers (including rose, chrysanthemums, gladiolas, orchids (mainly Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Cymbidium), carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus), and lily (Lilium)), comprised 22.6 million USD of the total exports. Of that amount, fresh or dried flowers were valued at 0.1 million USD, while lily and tulip bulb imports were valued at 2.1 million USD [12,13]. At the international level, Mexico faces significant challenges, like increased floriculture trade competition from the largest world exporters: the Netherlands (52%), Colombia (15%), Ecuador (9%), and Kenya (7%). Despite the economic crises around the world (in 2014–2015), and the general decrease in expenditures on floriculture products in some countries, in 2016, Mexico and Canada showed increases in their US market share. In spite those challenges, the rise of online sales had become an interesting opportunity to explore national and international markets [14,15]. 1.2. Mexico’s Floriculture Sector at a Glance At the national level, Mexico has a great diversity of climates that favors the production of ornamental flowers and plants. Nevertheless, its ornamental sector as a commercial activity is considered very “young”; it started in the 1970s [10,11]. The ornamental production contributed only 0.1% of the GDP, and its value rounded $1114.5 million USD [16]. Notwithstanding several scarcities in technology, water, inappropriate transportation, and few centralized domestic markets [11], in 2016–2017 the growth of the Mexican agricultural sector (agriculture, animal, forestry, and fisheries and hunting), was more than 3.3%, higher than the growth in the Mexican Gross Domestic Product (2.3%) [17]. In the past five years, the ornamental production did grow from 20.1 million tons (2012), to 23.6 million tons (2016), an average of 4.4%. In the 2016–2017 period alone, its production increased 20.5%. Of that production, 95% was sold in the domestic market, which reach, annually, a value of $1000 million USD [11]. The floral species consumed in 2016 were primarily comprised of 21,481 tons of chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum), gladioli (Gladiolus), and roses (Rosa)[17]; however, none of them are endemic [18,19]. Producing these exotic species creates additional challenges to the Mexican economy, including: (1) due the lack of innovation or registration of our own endemic species or breeds, producers have to pay for the use of seeds [11]; (2) raising exotic species can cause a misuse of local land and water; and (3) Mexico is experiencing additional pressure over local resources in terms of resilience [20], as well as potential ecosystem imbalances caused by imported species. Though we will not study those challenges in this research, these arguments are a prelude to enhance the use of local species, and this data suggests that there is still room for growth in the domestic market for ornamentals, particularly due to the availability of over 4000 native, and likely inexpensive, ornamental species [19]. The states of Puebla and Morelos in Mexico are the major producers of ornamentals [21]. However, some of the most cultivated ornamental flowering species (rose, chrysanthemums, carnation, lily, gerbera, and gladiolus) are not native. One Mexican species, Sprekelia formosissima, ALY, is a good candidate for commercialization in the flowering plant market. It grows wild in 14 of the 31 Mexican states, and in the capital [18,19]. It is a perennial, bulbous plant with red flowers (Figure1). The ALY blossoms in the spring during the rainy season. When planted in groups or clumps it offers a showy display in the flowering season; it can also be exhibited on balconies, in parks, and in gardens [22]. Although the species has organoleptic characteristics similar to the tulip (Tulipa), lily (Lilium), amaryllis Sustainability 2018, 10, 224 3 of 15 Sustainability 2018, 10, 224 3 of 15 (Hippeastrum, and Amaryllis belladonna), daffodils (Narcissus), and crinum (Crinum x powellii), extensive crinumcommercial (Crinum production x powellii of), theextensive ALY has commercial not yet been production developed of the in Mexico, ALY has largely not yet due been to developed the lack of inknowledge Mexico, largely of its horticultural due to the lack characteristics. of knowledge of its horticultural characteristics. Figure 1. The Aztec lily flower (ALY) (Sprekelia formosissima), a Mexican native species. Source: Nicolás Figure 1. The Aztec lily flower (ALY) (Sprekelia formosissima), a Mexican native species. Source: Nicolás Álvarez-Acevedo. Álvarez-Acevedo. A plant’s place of origin can affect its desirability by potential consumers. That is, certain groups of consumersA plant’s may place place of origin more can or value affect on its their desirability ecological by potential and cultural consumers. characteristics That is, (aroma, certain height, groups drought/pestof consumers tolerance, may place for more example) or value of on a plant their ecological[7,23]. Hence, and all cultural efforts characteristics to target specific (aroma, marketing height, strategiesdrought/pest to different tolerance, segments for example) of the of population a plant [7,23, to]. Hence,change all beliefs efforts and to targetattitudes specific toward marketing native plants,strategies could to different contribute