Produce marketing co-operatives in West Africa

Muntjewerff, C.A. (1982)

Research paper

Sum.: In the West African countries of the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Cameroon, cooperative societies are involved in buying coffee and cocoa from farmers. These cooperatives do not always pay exactly the producers' price as it is set by the respective governments. These deviations from the producers' price differ according to the conditions under which cooperatives function. Three conditions, that, taken together, have a negative effect on the prices paid to the farmers, are the following: (a) When cooperatives are grouped in extensive, nation-wide organizations, of which the management cannot be effectively controlled by the farmers; (b) When governments have failed to set up effective control over management or accountancy over the cooperative organization; (c) When governments have granted a buying monopoly to the cooperatives and have excluded private traders from buying produce.

• West Africa; marketing cooperatives; coffee; cocoa

• All authors: Muntjewerff, C.A.
• Date: 1982