Diagnosis of vegetable production in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

The production chain of vegetables in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte is characterized by the cultivation of tuberous vegetables, herbs and fruits, considered one of the green belts of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. This study aimed to obtain a diagnosis of the current situation of producers in that region, analyzing aspects of production, marketing and characterization of producers. The research was carried out using a structured questionnaire applied in situ from January to December 2013 within a representative group of producers indicated by EMATER-MG. A quantitative evaluation of the research was made and presented in the form of figures and tables. Based on the obtained information, most of metropolitan vegetable producers were over 39 years old, basically with elementary education level, and the main grown vegetable is lettuce. The commercialization of the vegetables was carried out in the metropolitan region directly to the final consumer. Thus, the study contributed to expand the understanding of production and commercialization of vegetables. Based on the obtained information, the authors suggest comparation between different regions of Minas Gerais could be carried out by further studies.