Diversity of food species in three agricultural markets in Habana, Cuba.

Abstract

The inventory was conducted

on the diversity of vegetable species present in the market

and to show the behavior of three species in markets of

different dimensions in the City of the Habana, which receive

agricultural products from the whole country. The species

used as model were: the red mammee or sapote (Pouteria

sapota (Jacq.) H. E. Moore et Stearn, species of the gender

Capsicum and the Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.). In the

key species, their availability frequency, price, origin, and

other characteristics were evaluated. The inventory shows a

great wealth that is manifested in occasions of up to 74

species offered in one day, of which numerous traditional

cultivars of grains, fruits and vegetables are appreciated

among other uses. The quantity of that inventory allowed to

detect about 276 species within 84 families, in the course of

12 months of evaluation. The study included the roots and

tubers, vegetables, medicinal, grains, fruits and ornamental

plants. When comparing with the products observed in

studies conducted in home gardens around the country, only

a small part of this diversity reaches the market.