Custos e margens de comercialização de insumos agropecuários na Zona da Mata de Minas Gerais

Resumo

The problem of "technological backwardness" in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais was studied within a frame of reference that is not frequently used by agricultural economists. In order to better understand the current level of technology, the marginal and the operating costs of the retailers for modern agricultural inputs were analyzed, seeking to evaluate the performance efficiency in this stage of the marketing process. 

Retailers of agricultural inputs in the seven micro-regions that comprise the Zona da Mata were the focus of this study to determine their principal characteristics and assess any regional differences which might occur among the various micro-regions. The retailers for the most part have small businesses and agricultural inputs constitute only a fraction of their total merchandise inventory.

The high operating costs and low efficiency of these retailers are perhaps due to their diversified activities. To the extent that they possess monopolistic power in the factor market, the retailers tend to maintain fixed marketing margins that sometimes are 100 percent higher than their operating costs.

The evidence suggests that the retailers are at least one reason for the low level of tecnology in the Zona da Mata. The authors speculate that conceivably the retailer could be eliminated from the marketing process. However, a new system would have to be created in order to ‘accomplish this’ and still meet the needs of the fragmented demand for agricultural inputs. With respect to the limitations of this type of study, it is recommended that caution be used in the interpretation and application of the results.