Far more than an economic organization model, cooperativism has established itself as one of the main tools to drive the development of Brazilian agribusiness. Based on the union of producers, knowledge sharing and the pursuit of collective results, the system has played a strategic role in strengthening national agricultural production.
This was one of the topics addressed by the program Integração 5.0, which welcomed Ronald, a representative of Coxupé, to present the cooperative's trajectory and demonstrate how cooperativism has transformed the reality of thousands of coffee-producing families.
During the interview, Ronald highlighted that cooperativism was born over 180 years ago in the city of Rochdale, England, when workers decided to join forces to face economic difficulties and improve their living conditions. Since then, the model has spread worldwide and found in Brazil a favorable environment for its growth, especially in agribusiness.
According to him, the principle remains the same: people with common objectives pool resources, share experiences and strengthen their capacity to compete in the market.
Coxupé: nearly a century of cooperativism
Founded in 1932, Coxupé became one of the world's largest coffee-grower cooperatives. Currently, it brings together approximately 22 thousand cooperative members, distributed across roughly 360 municipalities in the states of Minas Gerais and São Paulo.
More than just marketing coffee, the cooperative offers a broad support structure for producers, including technical assistance, supply of inputs, professional training, financial solutions and access to the sector's most modern technologies.
According to Ronald, this model allows small and medium-sized producers to have access to the same opportunities available to large agricultural companies, increasing their competitiveness both in the domestic market and in international trade.
Union that generates competitiveness
One of the main differentials of cooperativism lies in the strength of collectivity.
By bringing together thousands of producers under the same organization, it becomes possible to negotiate better commercial terms, reduce production costs, expand investments in innovation and reach more demanding markets.
In practice, this means greater negotiating power in the purchase of fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural machinery and other inputs, as well as better conditions for marketing production.
This gain in scale directly benefits the rural producer, who gains greater financial stability and better growth prospects.
Development beyond production
Ronald stressed that the cooperative's role goes far beyond coffee marketing.
Coxupé promotes permanent programs in technical training, sustainability, rural management and family succession, encouraging new generations to remain in the countryside using increasingly modern technologies.
Another aspect highlighted was the distribution of results obtained by the cooperative. Unlike traditional companies, a significant portion of the so-called "surplus" returns to the cooperative members, further strengthening the local economy and encouraging new investments on rural properties.
This virtuous cycle means that the cooperative's growth also represents growth for thousands of producing families.
Brazilian coffee gains strength in the global market
During the interview, Ronald recalled that Brazil remains the world's largest coffee producer and exporter, a position sustained by factors such as quality, productivity and constant technological evolution.
In this scenario, cooperativism plays a fundamental role in guaranteeing standardization, traceability, technical assistance and access to international markets, requirements increasingly valued by buyers.
According to him, producing quality coffee is no longer dependent solely on the farmer's experience. Today, it involves planning, innovation, sustainability and permanent technical monitoring.
Cooperativism as a development tool
For Ronald, the success of Coxupé demonstrates that cooperativism continues to be one of the most efficient strategies to promote economic inclusion, regional development and strengthening of Brazilian agribusiness.
```By bringing together thousands of producers around common objectives, the model generates benefits that go beyond agricultural activity, driving employment, income, innovation and quality of life in the communities where it operates.
By bringing this theme to Integration 5.0, the program demonstrates that cooperativism remains current and increasingly relevant in the face of challenges in a globalized, competitive and constantly transforming market.
