Determinants of farmers’ loyalty to dairy processors in Minas Gerais, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The current study explores variables associated with the loyalty of dairy farmers to dairy processors in the Brazilian context. A multivariate discrete choice (Logit) model and alternative formulations assess the associations between loyalty metrics and farm and processor characteristics for a sample of 32 dairy farmers in 16 municipalities at the Zona da Mata in Minas Gerais. Twenty-two dairy processors were identified as milk buyers in the area studied, but each farmer indicated that they could sell to an average of five alternative buyers of milk. Farmers’ attributes such as production scale or the technological level are not statistically significantly associated with loyalty in this sample. The current milk price paid to farmers in our sample is not associated with increased loyalty (sales to a single processor for 6 or more years) in all estimated models; although, further research on this impact is merited to inform buyer-pricing policy. Variables associated with increased loyalty include payment of premiums for quality, farmer years of experience and cooperation among farmers in the purchase of inputs. Delayed payment is associated with reduced loyalty. We could not determine the effect of participation in technical assistance programs offered by processors on loyalty, because in our sample all farmers received free university-provided technical assistance. The payment of a premium based on milk volume was also unassociated with loyalty determination. The small size of our sample limits the ability to generalize our results but provides exploratory results that facilitate future investigation.

摘要：本研究旨在探究巴西语境下奶农对乳制品加工商的忠诚度相关影响变量。本研究采用多元离散选择（Logit）模型及多种备选建模方案，针对米纳斯吉拉斯州马塔地区（Zona da Mata）16个市镇的32名奶农样本，分析忠诚度指标与奶农及加工商特征间的关联。研究区域内共确认22家从事牛奶收购业务的乳制品加工商，受访奶农平均可选择5家备选收购方。本样本中，奶农的生产规模、技术水平等属性与忠诚度无统计学意义上的显著关联。尽管有必要针对该影响开展进一步研究以指导收购定价政策，但本研究所有估算模型均显示，当前向样本奶农支付的牛奶收购价，与奶农忠诚度（即连续6年及以上仅向单一加工商售奶）的提升并无关联。与忠诚度提升相关的变量包括：按牛奶质量支付的质量溢价、奶农从业年限，以及奶农间在生产资料采购方面的合作。付款延迟则与忠诚度降低相关。由于本样本中所有奶农均接受过由大学提供的免费技术援助，因此无法确定加工商提供的技术援助项目参与度对忠诚度的影响。按牛奶产量支付的产量溢价同样与忠诚度的判定无关。本研究样本量较小，限制了研究结果的推广性，但本探索性研究成果可为后续研究提供参考基础。