Caracterização da atividade suinícola independente no noroeste rio – grandense

Abstract

The present study was developed with the aim to characterize swine breeding by independent producers, verify the production and marketing strategies used by these producers and highlight the advantages and disadvantages of these producers in developing independent swine breeding in the Northwestern Meso-region of Rio Grande do Sul. The information was obtained through an interview applied to 33 swine farmers located in 22 municipalities belonging to the Northwest Meso-region of Rio Grande do Sul involving variables which were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Considering the producers characterization, there were different structures, being possible to divide them into three groups here being called Mini Integrators, Independent Pure and Mini integrated, being formed by 36%, 36% and 9% respectively of the interviewed. It was possible to different levels of schooling of the mini integrators and the pure independent producers in relation to the mini integrated ones, the majority of the producers of these groups had completed high school, whereas in the mini integrated group the level of education presented was lower. There are differences regarding the participation of swine in the income of producers, with mini integrators and mini integrated companies more dependent on the activity. Concerning the productive characteristics which were found, even having high level of specialization in the activity, the production of complete cycle is predominant in the producers characterized as mini integrators and pure independent. Considering the analysis of the strategies, it was possible to verify differences in relation to the use of futures contracts by the producers, with Mini Integrators being the producers who most use this tool, however the Pure Independents and the Mini integrated are the producers who use less raw material supply contracts. The main advantages cited by the interviewed are the freedom and the possibility of obtaining greater profits. On the other hand the crisis on the sector, the oscillation of prices and the market volatility are the main negative points of the activity told by the producers.