The paper evaluates agri-food trade competitiveness and specialisation patterns of the former Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA-7) countries compared with the European Union (EU-15) from 1995-2007. Agri-food trade specialisation stability and duration are investigated by main...

This article provides an overview of the most important reforms, their background, and corresponding changes in Estonian agriculture during the transition period from 1988-2008. The past two decades have been divided into three sub-periods to outline differences in dynamics and the direction of...

Vertical coordination in agri-food chains is a significant and increasing phenomenon in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). It has been observed that this development prefers large scale production. However, the agricultural sector is still a mixture of small scale and large scale...

The newly acceded Central and Eastern European states find their rural development strategy should fit into the European Union’s (EU) framework and policy for rural development. The EU’s approach is based on using rural networks for policy implementation, or building networks where...

Dairy cooperative structures in Ireland have evolved through time. Ireland’s twentieth century dairy cooperatives emerged in a market environment that is vastly different from the one in which they operate today. This paper looks firstly at the broad evolution of structural changes in...

This paper analyzes Chinese farmers’ participation in agricultural cooperatives. Special focus is placed on the country’s cultural and institutional background and its impact on cooperatives’ governance structure. The impact of differences in regional economic and social...

The transition process in central and eastern Europe (CEE) had a profound effect on how individuals interact. Economic and social institutions have changed, requiring an adaptation process by individuals in the move toward a market economy. How each individual accesses, manipulates and uses...

The dairy sector is one of the most critical sectors in Hungarian agriculture, where independent, privately owned farm organisations cannot countervail the market power of their business partners (processors). In theory, cooperatives and producers’ groups are able to strengthen the position of...

The article presents basic results from an empirical survey carried out in Poland with leaders of farmer organizations called producer groups. The main objective of the research was to understand the process of formation and the mechanism of functioning of the groups as well as to identify...

In Russia many agricultural supply and marketing cooperatives have been established by governmental authorities, and agricultural producers may join them freely. Although this practice is contrary to cooperative experiences historically and internationally it may have a rationale; the development...