Coffee production crisis and migration, in a context of poverty and marginalization. The case of indigenous producers in Huehuetla, Puebla

Abstract

Because of coffee prices crisis in Mexico, mainly for indigenous producers, a labor expulsion process between their family members, like the case of indigenous coffee growers in Huehuetla municipality, Puebla. This population movement could be categorized as inner migration, but with a permanent character due to low prices and the lack of well remunerated jobs in coffee farms. Inner migration responds to poverty and marginalization conditions in which they are living; and monolingualism influences over this kind of migration too. So, being coffee producer is synonym of beingindigenous, marginal and poor. Based on this condition, in context of low prices for the main commodity, migrate overseas is rather impossible; the only opportunity in order to improve their lives is realizing inner migration, mainly to cities like Mexico and Puebla, where the family members of coffee growers are employed without any social benefit. If the conditions in coffee farms remain in the future this migratory flow will hold steady; putting at risk peasant’s ways of living.

Keywords

• Coffee production crisis
• Poverty
• Marginalization
• Migration.