MEXICO: DECLINE IN PRODUCTION OF PULQUE DRINK скачать в хорошем качестве

MEXICO: DECLINE IN PRODUCTION OF PULQUE DRINK

(9 May 1999) Spanish/Nat It once was the nectar of the gods, but the concoction known as "pulque" has now become a drink for the poor in Mexico. The steady decline in its production has greatly affected the economy of states like Tlaxcala which used to get from this drink half of its total revenues. A recent development in the production of pulque could change all this, although it has old timers shaking their heads over the fact that pulque with fruit juice is now being pasteurized and canned. Leopoldo Perez is a "tlachiquero" -- he collects the juice of the maguey plant. Perez still uses the old method -- using an acocote, an elongated bottle gourd which serves as a tube to suck the juice out. After fermentation, this milky liquid will become pulque, one of the most sacred and important beverages in ancient Mexico. It had a privileged place in mythology and religious rituals and it was used by the royalty and priesthood to celebrate great victories. Today, in some areas it still remains the only source of income to the native population. But the production of pulque has steadily dropped -- from 450-thousand litres a day 27 years ago to 112 litres a day now. Perez makes 60 pesos (seven U-S dollars) a day collecting the liquid (agua miel) in a maguey ranch in Nanacamilpa, in Tlaxcala state. He is worried about his future. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "Personally, I like this job very much and it worries me that there's little maguey to carry on working. I'm seeing very few plantations (of maguey). Before, plantations had lots of maguey plants, and now maguey is almost gone." SUPER CAPTION: Leopoldo Perez, "tlachiquero" (collector of the juice of the maguey plant) In spite of its former popularity, pulque represents only 10 percent of the alcohol beverages consumed in Mexico today. San Isidro ranch in the heart of Tlaxcala state is one of the few that still grows maguey. Its owner, Rodolfo del Razo, thinks the government should have supported the production of maguey. He says its preservation not only helps maintain the ecosystem in the semi-deserted Mexican plains, but it also provides a very nutritious drink. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "Pulque has lots of properties, properties that no other drink in the world has, especially nutritional properties." SUPER CAPTION: Rodolfo de Razo, owner of maguey ranch Scientists agree. Pulque is rich in Vitamins C, B-Complex, D and E, amino acids, minerals and energy sources. Fermentation of the maguey juice to produce pulque is a very complex process that has limited the mass distribution of the drink. Up to now, pulque could only be preserved for three days. But Rodolfo de Razo has found a way to can the pulque and make it last for 36 months. He produces five thousand cans a month on his ranch, mainly for export to anywhere from the U-S to Japan. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) "The idea of putting pulque in cans is to go outside the border, so that it is not only consumed in central Mexico but that it goes across borders. We're now in Los Angeles, Houston Texas, New York, Germany and Japan." SUPER CAPTION: Antonio de Razo, son of ranch owner Canned pulque has not enjoyed wide acceptance in Mexico yet, but De Razo is lobbying supermarket chains to sell on a greater scale around the country. He is confident that a drink that is entirely natural will appeal to Mexico's young consumers. Pulquerias, where the drink is sold, still manage to attract a loyal clientele that believe in the aphrodisiac properties of the pulque, with some even dubbing it the 'Mexican Viagra.' Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...