A CULTURA DO AÇAFRÃO EM MARA ROSA (GO): COOPERAÇAFRÃO (2003-2011)

Abstract

The work focuses on the cultivation of saffron in the municipality of Mara Rosa (GO), after the creation of the Cooperative of Saffron Producers Mara Rosa (Cooperaçafrão) in the period 2003 to 2011. The municipality of Mara Rosa (GO) has 1.703.95 km2 in area, is dominated by the cerrado, cut north to south by Belém-Brasília highway (BR- 153). It is considered the capital of saffron by responding for 90% of national production with over 300 producers working in the form of family farming. In 2007 was the largest center of national production, accounting for 74.0% of the saffron production. It is located 370 km from capital of Goiás state, it is part of the meso and microregion of Porangatu. The research aims to investigate how the dynamics of the company sued the producers of saffron family farmers of "Cooperaçafrão" who chose to develop an agro-industrialization as an alternative to face crises recently experienced by the local family farming. Theoretical support were previously published work related to cooperative and productive system of saffron of the following authors: Marinozzi, (2002), Noronha et al. (2004), Bartholo et al. (2005), Domitian (2007 ) and Domitian Caume, (2008), Coimbra (2005), Labaig (2003) among others. The universe of this study was 51 active cooperative producers, these 49 farmers participated in the survey. The methodology used was case study. The type of research was bibliographic, field and descriptive . It used the questionnaire with data collection instrument applied in the presence of the members, with 99 closed and open questions, with the aim of presenting the socioeconomic profile of the saffron producers, to identify issues related to producing properties and management activities of saffron production. The research was based on data collected directly from farmers in the cooperative Cooperaçafrão. It aimed to investigate the degree of increase in income of respondents and the index of satisfaction with the management of the cooperative leaders. Once assembled and explained the fundamentals of research, the study found that a significant number of cooperative assets that never gave up the cooperative had a significant increase in their income. From the data presented it can be stated that the cooperativism allied with industrialization and institutional interventions represents an alternative to other farmers from Mara Rosa and region also can achieve the same performance. The cooperative is going through a complicated competition from buyers of saffron in the region. Thus it is expected that both managers as the cooperatives can talk, reflect and seek together solutions to the difficulties related to the cooperative. That managers listen more closely associated with and seek to meet your expectations and demands, and at the same time that the cooperative are committed to the cooperative and participate effectively in its management.