Search

Resumo: Objetivou-se identificar a forma como os agentes do sistema agroindustrial do leite no sul e oeste do Maranhão percebem e praticam a produção e a comercialização do leite, bem como as relações entre estes, buscando articular estratégias competitivas regionais. Trata-se de uma pesquisa multicasos qualitativa, com dados coletados mediante entrevistas semiestruturadas, com a utilização da técnica de associação livre de palavras (TALP). Para a avaliação dos resultados, optou-se pelo uso da análise de frequências múltiplas, análise de similitude e elaboração de matriz prototípica. Participaram das entrevistas 23 agentes divididos em quatro grupos, sendo os gestores institucionais responsáveis em apoiar a cadeia do leite, pequenos produtores de leite e laticínios. Nos resultados, foi possível identificar um padrão de opiniões sobre os desafios da produção, bem como aspectos de comercialização do leite considerados importantes institucional e organizacionalmente. Percebeu-se que a infraestrutura e a logística de transporte se posicionaram como sérios obstáculos ao crescimento do mercado leiteiro na região. Além disso, o estudo demonstrou que há uniformidade de critérios considerados importantes para o mercado, como qualidade do leite, higiene na produção, sanidade animal, uso de ordenha mecânica e cumprimento pelos produtores quanto à assistência técnica. Abstract: This research aimed to identify how agents of the Agro-industrial System of milk in the South and West of Maranhão perceive and practice milk production and commercialization, and the relations among them, seeking to articulate regional competitive strategies. It is a qualitative multi-case study with a semi-structured interview script guided by the Free Word Association Technique (TALP) for data collection. We have used Multiple Frequency Analysis, Similitude Analysis, and a Prototypical matrix formulation to evaluate the results. Twenty-nine agents have participated in the interviews. They were divided into four groups, composed of institutional managers responsible for supporting the milk chain, small producers of milk and dairy products, and dairy products companies' managers. The results enable to identify a pattern of opinions about production challenges and milk commercialization essential aspects, both institutionally and organizationally. Infrastructure and transport logistics were pointed out as severe obstacles to the dairy market growth in the region. Moreover, the study has evidenced the existence of a uniform position on important criteria for the market, such as milk quality, production hygiene, animal health, mechanical milking usage, and compliance with technical assistance by producers.

Biodiesel has been presented worldwide as a viable alternative to petroleum-based fuels. In 2018, the main raw materials in this Brazilian sector was soybean (70.52%) and beef tallow (13.4%). The Brazilian mandatory biodiesel-diesel blend is currently 10% (B10), but B20 is estimated for 2030. Additionally, the National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB) intends to promote the diversification of raw materials in the energy matrix, where the beef tallow - a residue of the beef production - has been increasing importance. Brazil presents as the global largest commercial beef producer and exporter. Then, the use of beef tallow would allow the expansion of biodiesel production without fuel x food competition and provide a nobler use than disposal for it. In this sense, this article analyzes, through a review, the potential of beef tallow for biodiesel production in Brazil. This raw material has price, quantity and quality for generating a biodiesel in the specifications required by regulatory agencies. Therefore, beef tallow is a potential raw material for the expansion of the biodiesel sector in Brazil and this experience can be useful for other countries.

Biodiesel production was stimulated in Brazil by the National Program for Production and Use of Biodiesel. The program has two objectives: ensuring both production and domestic consumption of biodiesel; and promoting diversification of feedstock sources, social inclusion, and regional development by generating employment and income for small rural farmers. However, despite the great potential for diversification of oilseed raw materials, soybeans make up the majority of the raw material that feeds the Brazilian biodiesel supply chain. Soybeans have two advantages: meeting the domestic demand for biodiesel; and having the most competitive prices, compared to other raw materials. Soybeans also support the social aspect of the federal program, although productive arrangements with small farmers are concentrated in the South region of Brazil. This paper characterizes the “social soybean” production chain for biodiesel production in Brazil and describes some of the competitive drivers that explain how soybeans from small farmers have been established as the main feedstock source. The paper also describes some bottlenecks and suggests actions that might address them in order to contribute to increased competitiveness of soybeans from small farmers in biodiesel production in Brazil.

The objective of this study is to identify, through motivating, inhibiting and facilitating factors, responses to institutional pressures on the relationship between biodiesel plants and family farming cooperatives via the Social Fuel Seal (SFS) in the South region of Brazil. This region is characterized by well-endowed family farming cooperatives. This paper adopts as theoretical lens the institutional theory. It is based on case studies involving qualitative research drawing results from four biodiesel plants with SFS certification and eight family farming cooperatives. The results indicate that the institutional biodiesel framework influenced the SFS-based relationships. This coercion mechanism led the plants to comply with the promotion of family farming via cooperatives. The plants seek legal legitimacy and opt to accept institutional pressures, primarily due to the guaranteed sale of all biodiesel produced via government sponsored auctions. Cooperatives are attracted by the receipt of the social bonus, seen as a prime motivating factor, which can be interpreted as an informal coercive pressure. Considering the context in which the plants and cooperatives are inserted, the SFS promoted changes in the sale of raw materials. It was also found that cooperatives facilitating factors are inversely related with plants inhibiting factors.

Partnership in supply chain stands out for the need to coordinate the productive activity between different economic agents who often have conflicting goals. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyse how the partnerships producer/supplier are developed in biodiesel supply chain, through the motivating and facilitating factors that affect this relationship. The methodological aspect involves a multiple case study conducted in three supply chains located in the South Region of Brazil, which have used semi-structured interviews. We involved in this investigation the three largest biodiesel producer plants in the South Region and the two most representative cooperatives in providing raw material for each one of the selected plants, totalling six cooperatives. We realized through the found motivating and facilitating factors that, despite the existing conflicts, both plants and cooperatives have shown the desire to renew the partnership over time.