Macro- and micro-level factors of successful agricultural co-operation in a transition country: the case of Hungary

The main research questions of present study are to examine the most important reasons and explanations for failure or success of new, emerging co-operatives and to analyse the main macro- and micro-economic conditions for successful collective action (e.g. marketing) done by producer-owned organisations (formal co-operation, e.g. co-operatives, producer organisations etc.) or by collaboration of agricultural producers without a legal form or written agreement (informal co-operation) in a NMS like Hungary. We use literature review and secondary data collection as well, but our main focus is on empirical level. In collaboration with Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture we gained information from 7,728 of its agricultural producer members on their co-operation activity through an on-line based empirical survey in summer 2015. According to the findings of the above national survey more than 51% of the respondents do not cooperate at all in any forms of cooperation. The biggest obstacle to co-operation is in the attitude of the farmers: they do not like to depend on anybody else and/or they do not like to commit themselves. Huge lack of information is also a big barrier. We conclude with listing the micro- and macro-level factors economic conditions for successful collective action.