Explanatory factors in small farmer's production value: a comparative analysis between small tabacco planters and non-tabacco planters in southern Brazil

Abstract

This study has the general objective of comparing the profiles of the tobacco planters with the non-tobacco planters to identify the determining factors of the production value to each of these groups, in the three Southern states of Brazil. As for methodology, this study has a descriptive and explanatory focus, using cause and effect that, with the use of statistical resources, aims to verify the relationships between variables in a group of 758 tobacco planters and 384 non-tobacco planters in the Brazilian southern regions. It is verified that the tobacco planters, when compared to the non-tobacco planters, present lower averages to the variables related to infrastructure and natural resources. They also present lower averages on the vegetal production activities (except for tobacco) and animal production, being under the averages scored by the non-tobacco planters. As to the impact analysis among the non-tobacco planters, a higher impact is checked, in statistical terms, on the total of production means over the Total Value of Production. Among the non-tobacco planters, on the other hand, the improvement total variable is the one that generates a bigger impact over the dependant variable.