Farmers’ Satisfaction with Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Spanish Cooperatives: An Explanation from Agency Theory

Abstract

Agricultural cooperatives have specific characteristics. Coop members may have different roles (owners, buyers, sellers and controllers) and, consequently, these players may have different objectives. The various stakeholders may also have different objectives from the management of the cooperative. This makes agency theory a good framework for the analysis of farmers’ satisfaction with their cooperative. Based on a sample of 277 members of fruit and vegetable marketing cooperatives in Spain, the results show that members’ satisfaction with the cooperative exerts a positive influence on members’ desire to continue as members of that cooperative. The results also confirm the positive influence of trust, information and control on satisfaction.