Analisis de mercado para el uso de la cascarilla de arroz en la produccion de plantas ornamentales florecedoras en Puerto Rico

Rice is the most important cereal in the Puerto Rican diet. Rice processing generates as subproduct the hull. The hulls can become an invironmental problem in the medium run. Alternative uses for rice hulls have been studied. One such use is in the production of flowering ornamental plants. Ornamentals represents the third sector in economic importance as a generator of Gross Farm Income.; At present ornamentals producers use as potting mix a product under the brand Promix which is a combination of peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and fertilizer. The price of Promix varies responding to availability of its components since they are imported.; Personal interviews were conducted among flowering ornamental plant producer located in the municipality of Aibonito, representing 57% of total producer in the Island. Another questionnaire was prepared and administered to six firms dedicated to import, distribution and sales of potting mix and other inputs used in ornamentals production.; The main objective of interviews was to obtain data about the willingness of producers to use rice hulls in the production of flowering plants. The producers interviewed expressed their willingness to use hulls if the production is not at risk. Three quarter (75%) of producers interviewed was male, with age between 31 and 56 years, 10 or more years of experience and sales during year 2005 of more than {dollar}40,000.; Potting mix distributors expressed they are not willing to use rice hulls since they import a product that is already mixed and sold in 3.8 cu.ft. packed under the brand Promix, which saves them the cost of transportation and storage of the hulls. They claim using hull as part of a potting mix will increase costs.; Future studies directed to alternative uses of hulls in animal production or landscaping are recommended.