Coamo Agroindustrial Cooperativa

In Brazil and Latin America, Coamo is the largest agricultural cooperative and one of the largest companies in the country.

History
The cycle of wood was coming to an end in the region of Campo Mourao, in the Central West of Parana, where the newly formed agronomist, José Aroldo Gallassini, arrived in the city. It was May 1968. He was an official of the defunct acarpous (Emater today) and was sent to Campo Mourao with a mission to raise the region\s rural reality.

Difficult task. The region had land unsuitable for farm due to soil acidity and the farmers were unaware of agricultural technology. Tractors, for example, there were only five in the region. The fields, only some crops manuals rice, maize and cotton. Not least, the region was known as the land of thatch, bracken and ants.

Gallassini conducted the first experiments on wheat in the region of Campo Mourao in the period April to September 1969 with the research competition varieties, fertilization, liming and planting season. Then it was soy. Farmers then began to have another worry: after all, whom to sell the farm? So began gaining momentum the idea of ​​setting up a cooperative of farmers.

As an employee of acarpous, Gallassini knew that the formation of a cooperative was fundamental to the development of regional agriculture. We identified the leaders of the industry and began a series of meetings and meetings to discuss the issue. Thus it was that on 28 November 1970, was born Mourãoense Agriculture Cooperative Ltda. The acronym was suggested by the cooperative Coamo and later vice president, Gelindo Stefanuto.

Fioravante John Ferri, a logger who had knowledge of a cooperative timber in Rio Grande do Sul, was chosen as chairman because of the reputation in the community and its untouchable reputation. He accepted the challenge, with the proviso that Gallassini was their general manager.

The cooperative was born with 79 farmers and associated with a capital of $ 37,540.00 Cr. The first building was an office of 50 m2. With Coamo, came the growth of wheat production in the region, which has forced the cooperative to rent warehouses to receive the output. In 1971 the exercise had leftovers, which became a tradition in the cooperative, and the following year came the first store of its own. In 1974 approved the construction of the first stores in Beltran and Mamborê Engineer.

At the end of 1974, John Ferri Fioravante died and Vice President Gelindo Stefanuto managed the cooperative until the termination of employment. In January 1975, through the General Assembly elected the cooperative agronomist José Aroldo Gallassini Coamo president who began his first term in front of the administration of Coamo. It was the recognition of the work of an agronomist from the meetings that led to the cooperative until the four years he served as general manager of Coamo.

Exponent of the cooperative movement and Parana Brazilian agronomist José Aroldo Gallassini in Campo Mourao planted the seed of the cooperative, which has been an example for the entire country. Enthusiastic about the move, the founder and president of Coamo is believed that the cooperative solution to the problems and also for the development of agriculture, motivated by the organization and participation of union members.

Gallassini for the cooperative is an important agent of development through a commitment to its members, providing important benefits such as technical assistance for research and dissemination of technology, increasing productivity, diversification and income property, and decisively contribute to the improvement of quality of life and productive environment.

In 1975 Coamo installed its experimental farm, shop for parts and set his flour mill. However, it was from the 80s that the agribusiness sector registered a major boost with the emergence of other industries, such as soybean oil and cotton spinning. In 2000 was inaugurated the margarine factory. Over the years, Coamo and their members have grown and thrived. Warehouses have been created in several counties. Today, they exist in 53 municipalities of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Mato Grosso do Sul

After more than three decades of its founding, the volumes of receipt of Coamo been increasing year after year, making up about 3.3\% of all domestic production of grains and fiber and 17\% of the crop in Paraná.

Coamo born of ideas and ideals. Born from the dream of 79 farmers in search of a better life for their families, and today is the reality of thousands of people who believe in the cooperative and the strength of working together.