ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY AND CERTIFICATION OF FAMILY COFFEE FARMS IN THE ZONA DA MATA REGION OF MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

Abstract

This paper is part of a research project developed to verify the economic feasibility of coffee grown by family farm smallholders, seeking insertion in certified coffee markets. It has focused on production systems on farms under conventional and certified organic grown coffee, in municipalities of the Minas Gerais State Tropical Forest Zone. Economic efficiency, quality, competitiveness, equity, and sustainability indicators were compared for these production systems. Production and commercialization management processes were analyzed during the visits to farms. From the economic viewpoint, it was found that all analyzed farms presented profitability capable of promoting the sustainable exploitation development. Microeconomic analysis and case studies resulted in a set of graphs and tables. As a result, it was concluded that all farmers presented capability for a sustainable development of the exploitation, under the economic dimension, even though low production scale determines low life quality levels to their families. In spite of these shortcomings, the opportunity to participate in a market niche that adds value to the product, a determining factor for organic coffee economic sustainability, suggests the certification of conventional farms, since the certification process is required for their inclusion in the organic coffees market.

KEY-WORDS: Economic feasibility; sustainability; certification; organic and conventional coffee growing.