Cooperatives in SC have an increase of 9.6% in the number of members and earned R$85.9 billion in 2023

Cooperatives in Santa Catarina recorded revenue of R$85.9 billion in 2023. The sector’s results were presented in Florianópolis by Ocesc, the Organization of Cooperatives of the State of Santa Catarina. One of the most relevant data is the expansion in the number of cooperative members, which grew 9.6%. Now, cooperatives directly and indirectly bring together 4.2 million people from Santa Catarina. Agribusiness continues to be the highlight.

64% of jobs and gross operating revenue are generated by agribusiness within cooperatives. Even with the impressive numbers, the sector showed a 3% drop in operating revenue and ended 2023 with R$54.7 billion. The decline is due to price drops on the world market and poor performance on the domestic market. Now, the sector expects support from the government to lower production costs.

“It’s really flattening our producer’s earnings and that worries us a lot. We don’t want the rural exodus to happen. We are doing everything to keep our producer producing. But for that we need infrastructure because it increases the cost of our property as well. And that this is seen by the state and federal governments. Send us resources with affordable interest rates. With the interest rates we have today, there is no one who can invest”, highlighted the president of Ocesc, Luiz Vicente Suzin.

Even though credit unions recorded the highest growth in total revenue and attracted the highest number of members in 2023, it is agribusiness that is responsible for the numbers that boost SC exports. Last year, the increase was 2%, with almost R$10 billion. Cooperativism is one of the pillars of the economy in Santa Catarina, generating employment and income in various areas and attracting more and more Santa Catarina residents.

“It is a sign that our producer, our urban consumer has also been believing in the cooperative system in the state of Santa Catarina. A system that has really been growing, which is an example for Brazil. We are the most cooperative state in Brazil”, stated Suzin.

At Alesc, the Agriculture Commission closely monitors the sector’s demands. Last year, the agenda of milk production costs and also the values ​​of corn as an input were the subject of several meetings, statements and actions by state deputies in favor of producers.

With information from Rony Ramos/Agência AL