Case Study: Rural Fruit Workers in the North

Abstract

The heterogeneity of the temporeras is partly explained by the fragmented nature of the production process, and the partial nature of their integration into fruit work as seasonal workers. It is also a result of the diverse situations from which the seasonal workforce is drawn, ranging from small traditional campesina households to urban workers migrating from large cities during the season on a daily basis. This reflects the uneven nature of rural ‘modernisation’ as agribusiness has extended across the fruit growing regions, with contradictory effects on the women drawn into the sector. However, given their heterogeneity, the specific experiences of women working in fruit exports can vary markedly according to the diverse contexts of their personal situations. In this and the next chapter we explore two case studies which illustrate the different contexts from which women are drawn into fruit work, and the different experiences women have of undertaking this work, both within the same region and across different regions. These case studies help to depict the heterogeneity of the temporeras.