An agricultural cooperative, also known as a farmers’ co-op, is a cooperative where farmers pool their resources in certain areas of activity. A broad typology of agricultural cooperatives distinguishes between agricultural service cooperatives, which provide various services to their individually farming members, and agricultural production cooperatives, where production resources are pooled and members farm jointly. There are two primary types of agricultural service cooperatives, supply cooperative and marketing cooperative. Cooperatives as a form of business organization are distinct from the more common investor-owned firms. Agricultural supply cooperatives aggregate purchases, storage, and distribution of farm inputs for their members. Besides the field of agricultural marketing, the co-operative movement has achieved remarkable progress in the fields of credit, supply of agricultural requisites, distribution of improved seeds, etc. The book contains very useful and well-researched material derived from authoritative sources. Pros and cons of the theme are discussed in analytical manner. The book will be useful and interesting to students of Indian agriculture, educated farmers, political leaders, and planners in India and abroad.
