Tilapia production chain in western Paraná: analysis of a cluster formation

Abstract

This study presents a description of the tilapia fillet production chain in the western region of Paraná, as well as an analysis of the social relations, as a network, among the main actors which make up this productive chain. The central question of the study is to evaluate the existence of objective conditions to form a cluster for fish processing in the region studied, given the relationship dynamics and the structural differences among the fish slaughterhouses, as well as the governance structure presented for the system coordination. For that, the technique of Social Network Analysis which consists of a systematic method in the form of graphs was used, allowing to analyze the structure and connections among the various actors that make up the productive chain or social network. The results indicate the existence of a relevant productive structure and potential agents to form a cluster. Similarly, they indicate the existence of an important network of relationships and cooperation among the main links and actors in the production chain. However, the importance of the contribution and the involvement of institutional support organizations to weave this space for social, economic and regional development is evident.