Profile of agricultural cooperatives in Northwestern Minas Gerais

Abstract

In Brazil, the expansion of cooperatives has an economic conception, as it expresses the effort to reduce costs and expand possibilities in a highly competitive marketplace. In Minas Gerais, specifically in the municipalities of Northwestern Minas Gerais, the collective organization through cooperatives in the agricultural sector, whether large, medium or small producers, is significant, reflecting the economic base centered on the production of grain, milk and milk products. In this context, this article aims to present the profile of some agricultural cooperatives in Northwestern Minas. For this purpose, a bibliographic and data research was carried out. The results indicate that the cooperatives have an important direct and indirect participation in the social and economic conjuncture of the municipalities, create jobs, promote socio-environmental improvements, revitalize degraded areas; in short, thei exercise a social role with well-defined principles.