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1. Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to examine crop production of table grapes contrasting
two leading states, i.e. Sonora and California, located in Mexico and the United
States, respectively. Each state contributes with an overwhelming majority to the
national table grape output. For instance, in 2013, Sonora produced 91.9% of the
259 thousand tons obtained in Mexico. California produced 1,127 tons,
representing 99% of the United States output. At first sight, a substantial gap exists
in terms of output between both countries.
Within California, the Coachella Valley is the southernmost growing region for table
grapes in the United States, basically located in the Riverside County. Also, it
conforms part of the northwestern extension of the Sonoran Desert, an extremely
arid area. The average rainfall in this area reaches 15 centimeters per annum
Thanks to its location, this is the first region in the country to ship this crop to the
market, as from May. The Coachella Valley is the third most important agricultural
region in California. Water for irrigation comes primarily from the Colorado River.
Through a 132 kilometer long Coachella canal, it is delivered to local farms.
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Dawson (2012).