Coffee Farming and Coopama's Commercial Units: Dynamics in the Productive Spatial Circuit

Abstract

Agricultural cooperatives play a fundamental role in organizing rural production, especially within the context of family farming, by promoting access to resources, technologies, and market inclusion. With the advance of agricultural modernization and the intensification of the globalization of capital, many cooperatives have adopted business-oriented practices, moving away from their original principles and contributing to the expansion and territorialization of commodities. Among agricultural commodities, coffee production stands out, in which cooperatives play an important role, particularly in the Southern region of Minas Gerais, which hosts several cooperatives that contribute to the coffee spatial circuit. Among these cooperatives is Coopama, headquartered in the municipality of Machado and operating in seven additional municipalities, contributing to the expansion of commercial relations. Thus, this study aims to analyze the participation of coffee production in the municipalities that host Coopama’s commercial units, in order to understand the strategic role played by the cooperative within the productive spatial circuit. The research adopts a qualitative approach, emphasizing a literature review and the analysis of secondary data. Based on this investigation, it is understood that Coopama plays a strategic role in coffee production in Southern Minas Gerais, acting as a central agent in the regional productive circuit. The expansion of its commercial units across different municipalities broadens commercial relations and strengthens its territorial presence, contributing to productive control.