Dynamics of Harvest Subcontracting

ORTIZ SUTTI; APARICIO, SUSANA; TADEO NIDIA

Journal of Agrarian Change

Blackwell Publishing

Lugar: London; Año: 2013 vol. 13 p. 488 - 519

1471-0358

ACLARACION: Este artículo fue publicado previamente a la versión impresa de la Revista .  Fue publicado online: 28 NOV 2012, ?Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)? Online ISSN: 1471-0366. Fue publicada en la edición impresa en octubre de 2013 con los datos que se citan en este formulario. Esta revista está indizada en SI Journal Citation Reports © Ranking: 2012: 6/55 (Planning & Development); 36/333 (Economics) 1471-0358, 1471-0366. Scopus, Social Science Citation Index, ABI/INFORM, Academic Search Premier. La revista ha sido evaluada en CIRC: Grupo A, Excelencia-Excelencia, CARHUS: A,   - See more at: http://miar.ub.edu/es/issn/1471-0358#sthash.2tHWtGp4.dpuf Abstract. A historical perspective of three export agro-industries in Argentina (lemons, sweet citrus and tobacco) illustrates the range of factors that may foster subcontracting and the choice of subcontracting modalities.  The case studies also illustrate that subcontracting is often a fragile strategy that leads to the eventual re-absorption of subcontracted tasks. We argue that the fragility of subcontracting the harvest rests on the inability of producers and labour contractors to negotiate a relationship that favours collaboration and problem solving. This failure is at the root of the high transaction costs of harvest subcontracting that forces producers to resort to ancillary investments, sanctions, or to reabsorb some or all of the delegated tasks. A mismatch of resources and technical competence between producers and harvest labour contractors also contributes to inadequate performance of services. It is thus not surprising that harvest labour contractors are not always permanent fixtures; they may appear, disappear and reappear again, particularly in fresh fruit export industries.