Global Value Chain in the Wine Industry of the Maule Region and its Effects on the Generation of Employment

Abstract

Between 2007 and 2017, the wine export volume of Chilean wines increased more than 40% and its prices rose 10%, raising the opportunity of more and better jobs for the socially and more vulnerable economic population which inhabits precisely the Regions with the highest concentration of vineyards in Chile. The Maule Region is the terri- tory with the largest number and extension of vineyards in Chile where the worst indicators of education, income and quality of employment prevail in the country. In this context, the relevance of this research on the global value chain (GVC) of the wine industry in the Maule Region, is that it describes a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the dif- ferent segments of this GVC and economic and social upgrading, detected from field information and institutional databases in Chile. The GVC of this industry is to be constructed establishing the relationship between economic and social escalation translated in number and quality of new jobs. In terms of conclusions, the main economic upgrad- ing is the incorporation of the Maule Region wine industry to the international market, since the beginning of the year 2000, and the consolidation of its foreign markets, being conditioned to certifications of different types, mechanization of its associated production processes to better employment conditions with more training, and professionalization of the vineyards, hiring professionals and technicians in the marketing and export segment mainly, representing a social upgrading, making it possible the generation of more jobs for women and young people with greater specialization.