Impact of Covid-19 on markets channels and markets of family agroindustries in Serra Gaúcha, Brazil

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused several rearrangements in agri-food contexts across the planet, triggering effects on agribusiness and food, including family farming systems, a context in which the family agro-industries of Serra Gaúcha are inserted. In this sense, the present work aims to expand the field of studies on commercialization channels and markets of family agro-industries, analyzing the impact of Covid-19 on these enterprises. The choice of Serra Gaúcha as the geographical cut of the present study is due to the fact that this region concentrates the largest amount of family agro-industries participating in the State Program of Family Agro-Industry (PEAF). The research has as theoretical reference the typologies of family farming markets (proximity markets, territorial markets, conventional markets and public/institutional markets) as well as the degree of diversification of commercialization channels (exclusive, diversified and super diversified). The study was carried out through a survey with 45 family agro- industries located among the 32 municipalities of the Association of Municipalities of Encosta Superior do Nordeste (AMENSE). The results show that with the occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is a certain stability in the geographic circuit of commercialization of products from family agribusinesses, as well as changes related to the main commercialization channel used by establishments, including a decrease in sales for the National Program. of School Feeding (PNAE) and in municipal fairs. There are also fluctuations in the profitability of projects, with increases in establishments with lower degree of diversification and decrease in establishments with more diversified marketing channels.