A competitividade do cooperativismo de pequeno porte no sistema agroindustrial do leite no oeste catarinense

This paper discusses the current transformations in the dairy market and the challenges to the small scale cooperative segment to expand the room for manoeuvre in a more and more competitive market, in which the globalization of the agrofood empires has demanded technological, organizational and institutional innovations in response to more restrictive requirements of scale and quality. The study deals with the transformations in the dairy production of Santa Catarina west region and it shows the new positions of the cooperative segment in face of the new market structure. The paper focuses on the organizational novelties created by a cooperative network to increase competitive advantages and, as a result, expand the possibilities of social and economic reproduction for the family farmers. Initially, the paper analyzes the recent trajectory of the global value chain and the consequences of the current transformations for the Brazilian sector.Afterwards, it argues about the insertion of the cooperativist and familiar agriculture in the milk chain. Finally, it debates the development of this productive sector in the west region of Santa Catarina and analyzes the experience of the Associa o das ooperativas e Associa es de Produtores Rurais do Oeste de Santa Catarina (Ascooper).