Internationalization and Diversification Strategies of Agricultural Cooperatives: A Quantitative Study of the Agricultural Cooperatives in the State of Parana (Report‪)‬

Introduction This study aims to observe internationalization strategies while taking into account not only alternatives for diversification of markets but also for diversification of products aimed exclusively at international markets and the effects of both on the results achieved by agricultural cooperatives in the state of Parana. In addition to the complexity involved in the formulation of internationalization strategies, this field of study also has some specific details that somehow affect the whole research process. In different countries, agricultural cooperatives have gradually become more consistent and diversified due to the adoption of advanced management structures. The simple export of commodities that has traditionally linked the cooperatives to the global market is giving way to the development of added value agro-industrialization practices. The diversification of agricultural activities is considered a possibility to increase the surplus of cooperatives; it is a powerful and competitive alternative for entry to new markets that provide a chance to operate at a higher level of commercialization of products abroad and overcome protectionist barriers. Studies about world market tendencies stress the decline of raw material and commodity exports, which have been overtaken by processed and industrialized products (Lopes, 2003).