Quality and competitiveness of coffee exports: The influence of cooperatives

Coffee production in Brazil is consolidated through changes in production management in response to the demand for quality and sustainable products. Good agricultural practices permeate all stages of production, and the various certifications, in the search for competitiveness. The financial reward and gain in competitiveness in the activity have been more perceived by the cooperative producers. The Cooperative actsis a channel of information flow on management and quality for the producer. To analyze the influence of cooperative in the marketing of coffee and the organizational changes provoked in the period from 1996 to 2016 was the objective of this article. In the bibliographic reference, scientific and statistical works were compared from 1988 to 2016. Brazil strengthened itself as an exporter of specialty coffees (quality improvement), starting in 2006, a year of strong cooperative growth. The official statistics account for a differential (economic advantage) of 30 to 40% in the average price / bag, received by the producer when cooperated. The volume exported by cooperatives is still small since not all are official international agents. Gradually the production and commercialization of specialty coffees have been influenced by cooperative, which allows for a reduction in production costs as well as protection against business risks.