Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This thesis examines livelihoods in the wake of agricultural commercialization under the Revitalization of Smallholder Irrigation Schemes (RESIS) Programme and similar revitalization initiatives within the Olifants River Basin in Limpopo Province. The focus is on contractual joint ventures and strategic partnerships implemented within selected smallholder irrigation schemes. The thesis is based primarily on in-depth empirical studies conducted between October 2003 and March 2009 in three sites located in two Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) poverty nodes namely, Greater Sekhukhune and Vhembe Districts. To a lesser extent, the thesis draws on findings from rapid appraisals of five additional study sites in Greater Sekhukhune District. Research findings showed that the performance of joint ventures and strategic partnerships had so far largely fallen short of expectations. With the exception of a minority of small holders involved in RESIS-Recharge strategic partnerships, the promise of higher incomes and improved livelihoods had often remained elusive, while debts and potential losses of often meagre household assets loomed large, threatening to erode existing livelihoods and undermine government interventions. This was mainly because ‘viability’ in both the RESIS and RESIS-Recharge phases was narrowly seen in economic and technical terms, such that reduction of transaction costs often entailed the divesting of responsibilities to address issues of rural poverty and inequality. Subsistence production had largely given way to commercially-orientated farming, and weak monitoring of contract formulation and implementation meant that voices of marginalized poor and vulnerable people, particularly women and the elderly, were not being heard. Research findings further revealed that while RESIS-Recharge strategic partnerships increased incomes for a minority of smallholders, such arrangements did not meaningfully improve the productive, managerial and marketing skills of smallholders to ensure their effective participation in agriculture. Rather, strategic partnerships were creating a small class of black ‘arm-chair’ farmers, who played little or no active role and obtained few or no skills in commercial farming but perpetually depended upon and drew incomes from agribusiness initiatives run by externally-based agents. Adjunct to questions of sustainability for these farmers’ ability to participate in commercial farming, the thesis raises the question: What is the rationale for joint ventures and strategic partnerships in the context of South Africa’s Agricultural Sector Strategy objectives for support to black farmers? Contracts lacked mechanisms for equitable distribution of costs and benefits between contracted private partners and targeted smallholders, on the one hand, and the rest of members of local communities, on the other hand. Contracts also lacked provisions for post project recapitalization of infrastructure and rehabilitation of degraded land. This raised questions about the longer term sustainability of productivity, natural resource base and livelihood security in smallholder irrigation schemes. The conclusion of this thesis is that the challenge of reducing rural poverty and inequality in smallholder irrigation schemes might not be resolved through existing institutional approaches to agricultural commercialization.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This thesis examines livelihoods in the wake of agricultural commercialization under the Revitalization of Smallholder Irrigation Schemes (RESIS) Programme and similar revitalization initiatives within the Olifants River Basin in Limpopo Province. The focus is on contractual joint ventures and strategic partnerships implemented within selected smallholder irrigation schemes. The thesis is based primarily on in-depth empirical studies conducted between October 2003 and March 2009 in three sites located in two Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Programme (ISRDP) poverty nodes namely, Greater Sekhukhune and Vhembe Districts. To a lesser extent, the thesis draws on findings from rapid appraisals of five additional study sites in Greater Sekhukhune District. Research findings showed that the performance of joint ventures and strategic partnerships had so far largely fallen short of expectations. With the exception of a minority of smallholders involved in RESIS-Recharge strategic partnerships, the promise of higher incomes and improved livelihoods had often remained elusive, while debts and potential losses of often meagre household assets loomed large, threatening to erode existing livelihoods and undermine government interventions. This was mainly because ‘viability’ in both the RESIS and RESIS-Recharge phases was narrowly seen in economic and technical terms, such that reduction of transaction costs often entailed the divesting of responsibilities to address issues of rural poverty and inequality. Subsistence production had largely given way to commercially-orientated farming, and weak monitoring of contract formulation and implementation meant that voices of marginalized poor and vulnerable people, particularly women and the elderly, were not being heard. Research findings further revealed that while RESIS-Recharge strategic partnerships increased incomes for a minority of smallholders, such arrangements did not meaningfully improve the productive, managerial and marketing skills of smallholders to ensure their effective participation in agriculture. Rather, strategic partnerships were creating a small class of black ‘arm-chair’ farmers, who played little or no active role and obtained few or no skills in commercial farming but perpetually depended upon and drew incomes from agribusiness initiatives run by externally-based agents. Adjunct to questions of sustainability for these farmers’ ability to participate in commercial farming, the thesis raises the question: What is the rationale for joint ventures and strategic partnerships in the context of South Africa’s Agricultural Sector Strategy objectives for support to black farmers? Contracts lacked mechanisms for equitable distribution of costs and benefits between contracted private partners and targeted smallholders, on the one hand, and the rest of members of local communities, on the other hand. Contracts also lacked provisions for postproject recapitalization of infrastructure and rehabilitation of degraded land. This raised questions about the longer term sustainability of productivity, natural resource base and livelihood security in smallholder irrigation schemes. The conclusion of this thesis is that the challenge of reducing rural poverty and inequality in smallholder irrigation schemes might not be resolved through existing institutional approaches to agricultural commercialization.

Este estudo objetiva analisar os fluxos de produção e consumo de milho nas regiões Sul e Sudeste do Brasil, no período 1990 - 1998. Foi quantificado o consumo mensal do milho por segmento, identificando os estados que apresentam escassez ou excedente do produto. Estimaram-se os padrões de variação estacional de preço. O consumo de milho na avicultura de corte e postura, suinocultura, pecuária de corte e leite e sementes foi obtido a partir da elaboração de métodos de estimação que exigiram a aplicação de índices zootécnicos. Para testar esses índices, foram realizadas entrevistas com 71 técnicos e produtores rurais. Do lado da produção, os dados mensais foram trabalhados a partir das estatísticas do IBGE, ponderadas pela sazonalidade de colheita estimada pela CONAB. A obtenção dos índices de variação estacional de preço foi realizada a partir do procedimento proposto por Hoffmann (1969), utilizando a média geométrica móvel. Os resultados mostraram que o consumo de milho na avicultura de corte cresceu 76% no Sul e 51% no Sudeste nos anos 90. Por outro lado, o consumo na avicultura de postura ficou praticamente estagnado nesse período. No caso da suinocultura, o consumo cresceu 72% no Sul e 63% no Sudeste. O acréscimo na pecuária de corte foi de 69% e 73%, nas regiões Sul e Sudeste, respectivamente. Na região Sul, o consumo de milho aumentou 63% no período e no Sudeste, 42%. Os maiores responsáveis por esses aumentos foram o Rio Grande do Sul e Minas Gerais, respectivamente. Os demais estados não apresentaram mudanças significativas. As perdas no transporte e armazenagem foram de 1,97 milhão de toneladas, 8,84% da produção. O Paraná apresentou maior excedente, seguido de Rio Grande do Sul e Minas Gerais. Por outro lado, São Paulo é o maior deficitário. Não foi possível quantificar o consumo nas propriedades rurais. Os resultados mostram que os déficits estimados são 'proxies' das quantidades mínimas importadas de outros estados. Por outro lado, os excedentes podem ser, na realidade, menores. Como esperado, o índice sazonal do preço do milho atinge os menores valores na safra. Minas Gerais foi o estado que apresentou o menor índice sazonal, possivelmente por não haver escassez de milho ao longo do ano. / This dissertation analyses the production and consumption flows of corn in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil, during the 1990-1998 period. The monthly corn consumption was estimated in each segment, identifying the states that have deficits and surpluses of the product. The patterns of seasonal price variations were also estimated. The corn consumption in the chicken meat, eggs, pork meat, cattle meat, cattle dairy and seeds segments was obtained with estimation procedures that required the application of technical coefficients. In order to evaluate those indices, 71 specialists and producers were surveyed. The monthly production data was obtained employing the CONAB estimated harvest seasonal patterns to the yearly IBGE production data. The seasonal price variations were estimated using a method proposed by Hoffman (1969), based on geometric moving averages. The results show that the chicken meat segment corn consumption grew 76% in the South and 51% in the Southeast, during the 90's. On the other hand, in the eggs segment the corn consumption practically didn’t change during this period. For the pork meat segment, the consumption increase was 72% in the South and 63% in the Southeast. The increment for the cattle meat segment was 69% and 73%, respectively, for the South and Southeast regions. In the Brazilian South region as a whole, the corn consumption increased 63% in the period. In the Southeast, the growth was 42%. Respectively, the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais were the main drivers of this performance. The consumption for the other states didn’t change very much. The transportation and storage losses were 1,97 million of tons, 8,84% of total production. The highest surpluses were registered in Paraná, followed by Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. On the other side, the state of São Paulo displayed the largest production deficit. It wasn’t possible to estimate the corn consumption in the small and subsistence farms of the regions. The results suggest that the estimated deficits are proxies for the least amount of corn imported from other states. On the other hand, the real surpluses may be, in fact, smaller than the findings of this research. As expected, the corn price seasonal variations reach their lowest values during the harvest period. Minas Gerais was the state with smaller seasonal variation, probably due to the fact that there is no corn deficit during the year.

Este estudo objetiva analisar os fluxos de produção e consumo de milho nas regiões Sul e Sudeste do Brasil, no período 1990 – 1998. Foi quantificado o consumo mensal do milho por segmento, identificando os estados que apresentam escassez ou excedente do produto. Estimaram-se os padrões de variação estacional de preço. O consumo de milho na avicultura de corte e postura, suinocultura, pecuária de corte e leite e sementes foi obtido a partir da elaboração de métodos de estimação que exigiram a aplicação de índices zootécnicos. Para testar esses índices, foram realizadas entrevistas com 71 técnicos e produtores rurais. Do lado da produção, os dados mensais foram trabalhados a partir das estatísticas do IBGE, ponderadas pela sazonalidade de colheita estimada pela CONAB. A obtenção dos índices de variação estacional de preço foi realizada a partir do procedimento proposto por Hoffmann (1969), utilizando a média geométrica móvel. Os resultados mostraram que o consumo de milho na avicultura de corte cresceu 76% no Sul e 51% no Sudeste nos anos 90. Por outro lado, o consumo na avicultura de postura ficou praticamente estagnado nesse período. No caso da suinocultura, o consumo cresceu 72% no Sul e 63% no Sudeste. O acréscimo na pecuária de corte foi de 69% e 73%, nas regiões Sul e Sudeste, respectivamente. Na região Sul, o consumo de milho aumentou 63% no período e no Sudeste, 42%. Os maiores responsáveis por esses aumentos foram o Rio Grande do Sul e Minas Gerais, respectivamente. Os demais estados não apresentaram mudanças significativas. As perdas no transporte e armazenagem foram de 1,97 milhão de toneladas, 8,84% da produção. O Paraná apresentou maior excedente, seguido de Rio Grande do Sul e Minas Gerais. Por outro lado, São Paulo é o maior deficitário. Não foi possível quantificar o consumo nas propriedades rurais. Os resultados mostram que os déficits estimados são 'proxies' das quantidades mínimas importadas de outros estados. Por outro lado, os excedentes podem ser, na realidade, menores. Como esperado, o índice sazonal do preço do milho atinge os menores valores na safra. Minas Gerais foi o estado que apresentou o menor índice sazonal, possivelmente por não haver escassez de milho ao longo do ano. / This dissertation analyses the production and consumption flows of corn in the South and Southeast regions of Brazil, during the 1990-1998 period. The monthly corn consumption was estimated in each segment, identifying the states that have deficits and surpluses of the product. The patterns of seasonal price variations were also estimated. The corn consumption in the chicken meat, eggs, pork meat, cattle meat, cattle dairy and seeds segments was obtained with estimation procedures that required the application of technical coefficients. In order to evaluate those indices, 71 specialists and producers were surveyed. The monthly production data was obtained employing the CONAB estimated harvest seasonal patterns to the yearly IBGE production data. The seasonal price variations were estimated using a method proposed by Hoffman (1969), based on geometric moving averages. The results show that the chicken meat segment corn consumption grew 76% in the South and 51% in the Southeast, during the 90's. On the other hand, in the eggs segment the corn consumption practically didn’t change during this period. For the pork meat segment, the consumption increase was 72% in the South and 63% in the Southeast. The increment for the cattle meat segment was 69% and 73%, respectively, for the South and Southeast regions. In the Brazilian South region as a whole, the corn consumption increased 63% in the period. In the Southeast, the growth was 42%. Respectively, the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais were the main drivers of this performance. The consumption for the other states didn’t change very much. The transportation and storage losses were 1,97 million of tons, 8,84% of total production. The highest surpluses were registered in Paraná, followed by Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais. On the other side, the state of São Paulo displayed the largest production deficit. It wasn’t possible to estimate the corn consumption in the small and subsistence farms of the regions. The results suggest that the estimated deficits are proxies for the least amount of corn imported from other states. On the other hand, the real surpluses may be, in fact, smaller than the findings of this research. As expected, the corn price seasonal variations reach their lowest values during the harvest period. Minas Gerais was the state with smaller seasonal variation, probably due to the fact that there is no corn deficit during the year.

The organic agriculture is a production paradigm that is being currently discussed by the academy and economic agents (companies, governments and consumers) This production model is evolving its theoretical approach. However, several barriers obstruct the consolidation and expansion of this segment. The commercialization is one of them, especially for a productive system that seeks to be sustainable, how can a productive system be considered sustainable if it does not generate social, economical and environmental benefits for its players. In this context, this dissertation seeks to evaluate if the direct commercialization of organic products can be an alternative to generate sustainable income for the family farmers. To do so, this essay analyzed the behavior of the Alagoas organic segment, having as a reference the Feira Agroecológica de Maceió as well as the family farmers with properties until 5 hectares with commercial articulation to the Feira. Thus, the research concluded that the organic agriculture is a feasible alternative to family farmers, because it allows to reach economic, social and environmental sustainability. The commercialization, however, is the main limiting factor for the consolidation and expansion of this segment in Alagoas. Therefore, it depends on the rules to foment this productive segment through specific policies for the organic agriculture and the institutional parameters. Settle down the man in rural areas / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A agricultura orgânica é um paradigma de produção que está sendo muito discutido pela academia e pelos agentes econômicos (empresas, governos e consumidores). Esse modelo de produção ainda está aprimorando seus pilares teóricos e produtivos. Existem diversos gargalos que dificultam a consolidação e expansão desse segmento. A comercialização é um desses gargalos, principalmente para um sistema produtivo que procura ser sustentável, pois como um sistema produtivo poderá ser considerado sustentável se não gerar benefícios sociais, econômicos e ambientais para os seus participantes. Diante desse contexto, esta dissertação buscar avaliar se a comercialização direta de produtos orgânicos pode ser uma alternativa para a geração de sustentabilidade aos agricultores familiares. Para que essa pergunta fosse respondida foi necessária à análise do comportamento do segmento orgânico alagoano, tendo como base de referência a Feira Agroecológica de Maceió e os agricultores familiares, com estabelecimentos menores que 5 hectares, articulados a esse ponto de venda varejista particular. Assim, essa pesquisa chegou à conclusão de que a agricultura orgânica é uma alternativa viável aos agricultores familiares, pois permite se alcançar a desejada sustentabilidade econômica, social e ambiental. A comercialização, todavia, é o principal fator limitante a consolidação e expansão desse segmento, em Alagoas. Sendo assim, cabe aos governantes fomentar esse segmento produtivo por meio de políticas específicas para a organocultura e por meio do fortalecimento do ambiente institucional. A fixação do homem no campo faz parte dessa necessidade e de todo um país, em busca de um modelo de desenvolvimento sustentável.

Este estudo teve como meta propor uma metodologia que permitisse avaliar, quantitativamente, os impactos de barreiras não-tarifárias (BNTs), em especial as técnicas e sanitárias, sobre os volumes e preços das vendas externas de carne bovina brasileira. O período de análise compreendeu desde o mês de janeiro de 1992 a dezembro de 2000, tendo-se considerado dois mercados especificamente: o dos cortes especiais de traseiro e dianteiro destinados à União Européia e o do corned beef para os EUA. Os dados básicos utilizados foram cedidos pela Associação Brasileira de Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes Industrializadas (ABIEC). A hipótese deste trabalho foi a de que as questões técnicas/sanitárias interferem nas vendas externas de carnes bovinas do Brasil. Essa interferência dá-se sobre os volumes transacionados, os preços de negociação ou sobre ambos. Para a consecução do objetivo exposto foi, inicialmente, realizado um levantamento dos métodos já utilizados para mensurar efeitos de barreiras comerciais. Não foi encontrado um instrumental específico que atendesse à proposta deste trabalho. Assim, optou-se por construir um modelo reduzido para vendas externas desses produtos. Foram estimadas regressões visando identificar a influência das principais variáveis de oferta e demanda domésticas e da demanda internacional. A partir desses modelos, foi conduzida uma análise do comportamento dos resíduos, para identificação de outliers que pudessem refletir impactos de eventos de natureza sanitária ou de outros com caráter exógeno, não captados pelas variáveis explicativas. Uma vez constatados resíduos anormais, associados a eventos de interesse para este estudo, foram ajustados modelos de intervenção, de forma a permitir obter estimativas desses impactos diretamente sobre as séries de preços e volumes e estabelecer o padrão de influência da intervenção. Para a seleção das variáveis explicativas e dos eventos de interesse elaborou-se uma descrição detalhada sobre o mercado exportador do produto e seus fatores determinantes, domésticos e externos. Além da revisão de literatura, foram aplicados questionários e realizadas entrevistas junto ao setor exportador dessas carnes. Verificou-se que grande parte das variações nos volumes e preços das vendas externas foram explicadas pelas variáveis representativas dos fundamentos do mercado, como taxa de câmbio, preço do boi gordo, renda do Brasil, preços de países concorrentes, entre outras. Foram obtidos coeficientes de determinação elevados tanto para os modelos para cortes especiais quanto para os de corned beef. Para o volume e preços de exportação do corned beef destinado aos EUA também mostraram-se significativos os coeficientes dos preços médios de exportação brasileira desse produto para a UE. A maior parte da variação naqueles preços foi explicada por variáveis da demanda externa. No caso do modelo de intervenção para preços dos cortes especiais, a intervenção em março de 1995 mostrou-se significativa, com efeito de reduzir os preços, durante três meses. Este efeito pode estar relacionado à proibição das importações européias de carne de São Paulo e Minas Gerais naquele período. De modo geral, as intervenções relacionadas a eventos sanitários não se mostraram significativas ou não apresentaram resultados conclusivos. Possivelmente, a utilização de dados regionalizados para Circuitos Pecuários poderia gerar resultados mais claros sobre os impactos desses eventos. / This research aimed to develop a methodology to evaluate quantitatively non-tariff barriers impacts, mainly technical and sanitary, on the quantities and prices of Brazilian beef foreign sales. The analysis was implemented for the period from January/1992 to December/2000, considering two specific markets: European Union market for special beef cuts (chilled or frozen.) and the United States market for corned beef. Export basic data were provided by Associação Brasileira de Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes Industrializadas (ABIEC). This study’s hypothesis was that technical/sanitary issues influence the Brazilian beef exports. The impact is expected either on transaction volumes, prices or both. In order to reach the objective the methods already employed to measure trade barriers effects were reviewed. No specific instrument to apply to this study proposition was found. Then, a reduced form model was built to explain the products external sales. Regressions were estimated in order to identify the influence of main domestic supply and demand variables as well as international demand factors. The residuals of those models were analyzed to indentify the outliers that could reflect impacts of sanitary and other exogenous events, not measured by the explanatory variables. Since abnormal residuals were found, that could be related to relevant events. Intervention models were adjusted to permit to obtain impact estimates directly on prices and quantities series and stablish the intervention influence pattern. A detailed description on beef export market and its determinants, both internal and external was presented. Besides the literature review, questionnaires were applied to beef exporting industries. Results show that a great part of external sales volume and price variations were due to market fundamental variables, like exchange rate, cattle price, Brazil income, prices of competitive countries and others. High determination coefficients were observed both for special cuts and corned beef models. Coefficients for average prices of Brazilian corned beef exports to European Union were significant to explain prices and volumes of corned beef exports to USA. Most of those prices variations were due to external demand variables. In the intervention model analysis for special cuts, the 1995 March point was significant, indicating a reduction effect on those product prices, for three months. This effect can be related to the embargo of European imports to the São Paulo and Minas Gerais States beef exports, during that period. In general, interventions results related to sanitary events were not significant or conclusive. Possibly, data regionalization for Cattle Circuits could generate clear results on those events impacts.

Este estudo teve como meta propor uma metodologia que permitisse avaliar, quantitativamente, os impactos de barreiras não-tarifárias (BNTs), em especial as técnicas e sanitárias, sobre os volumes e preços das vendas externas de carne bovina brasileira. O período de análise compreendeu desde o mês de janeiro de 1992 a dezembro de 2000, tendo-se considerado dois mercados especificamente: o dos cortes especiais de traseiro e dianteiro destinados à União Européia e o do corned beef para os EUA. Os dados básicos utilizados foram cedidos pela Associação Brasileira de Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes Industrializadas (ABIEC). A hipótese deste trabalho foi a de que as questões técnicas/sanitárias interferem nas vendas externas de carnes bovinas do Brasil. Essa interferência dá-se sobre os volumes transacionados, os preços de negociação ou sobre ambos. Para a consecução do objetivo exposto foi, inicialmente, realizado um levantamento dos métodos já utilizados para mensurar efeitos de barreiras comerciais. Não foi encontrado um instrumental específico que atendesse à proposta deste trabalho. Assim, optou-se por construir um modelo reduzido para vendas externas desses produtos. Foram estimadas regressões visando identificar a influência das principais variáveis de oferta e demanda domésticas e da demanda internacional. A partir desses modelos, foi conduzida uma análise do comportamento dos resíduos, para identificação de outliers que pudessem refletir impactos de eventos de natureza sanitária ou de outros com caráter exógeno, não captados pelas variáveis explicativas. Uma vez constatados resíduos anormais, associados a eventos de interesse para este estudo, foram ajustados modelos de intervenção, de forma a permitir obter estimativas desses impactos diretamente sobre as séries de preços e volumes e estabelecer o padrão de influência da intervenção. Para a seleção das variáveis explicativas e dos eventos de interesse elaborou-se uma descrição detalhada sobre o mercado exportador do produto e seus fatores determinantes, domésticos e externos. Além da revisão de literatura, foram aplicados questionários e realizadas entrevistas junto ao setor exportador dessas carnes. Verificou-se que grande parte das variações nos volumes e preços das vendas externas foram explicadas pelas variáveis representativas dos fundamentos do mercado, como taxa de câmbio, preço do boi gordo, renda do Brasil, preços de países concorrentes, entre outras. Foram obtidos coeficientes de determinação elevados tanto para os modelos para cortes especiais quanto para os de corned beef. Para o volume e preços de exportação do corned beef destinado aos EUA também mostraram-se significativos os coeficientes dos preços médios de exportação brasileira desse produto para a UE. A maior parte da variação naqueles preços foi explicada por variáveis da demanda externa. No caso do modelo de intervenção para preços dos cortes especiais, a intervenção em março de 1995 mostrou-se significativa, com efeito de reduzir os preços, durante três meses. Este efeito pode estar relacionado à proibição das importações européias de carne de São Paulo e Minas Gerais naquele período. De modo geral, as intervenções relacionadas a eventos sanitários não se mostraram significativas ou não apresentaram resultados conclusivos. Possivelmente, a utilização de dados regionalizados para Circuitos Pecuários poderia gerar resultados mais claros sobre os impactos desses eventos. / This research aimed to develop a methodology to evaluate quantitatively non-tariff barriers impacts, mainly technical and sanitary, on the quantities and prices of Brazilian beef foreign sales. The analysis was implemented for the period from January/1992 to December/2000, considering two specific markets: European Union market for special beef cuts (chilled or frozen.) and the United States market for corned beef. Export basic data were provided by Associação Brasileira de Indústrias Exportadoras de Carnes Industrializadas (ABIEC). This study’s hypothesis was that technical/sanitary issues influence the Brazilian beef exports. The impact is expected either on transaction volumes, prices or both. In order to reach the objective the methods already employed to measure trade barriers effects were reviewed. No specific instrument to apply to this study proposition was found. Then, a reduced form model was built to explain the products external sales. Regressions were estimated in order to identify the influence of main domestic supply and demand variables as well as international demand factors. The residuals of those models were analyzed to indentify the outliers that could reflect impacts of sanitary and other exogenous events, not measured by the explanatory variables. Since abnormal residuals were found, that could be related to relevant events. Intervention models were adjusted to permit to obtain impact estimates directly on prices and quantities series and stablish the intervention influence pattern. A detailed description on beef export market and its determinants, both internal and external was presented. Besides the literature review, questionnaires were applied to beef exporting industries. Results show that a great part of external sales volume and price variations were due to market fundamental variables, like exchange rate, cattle price, Brazil income, prices of competitive countries and others. High determination coefficients were observed both for special cuts and corned beef models. Coefficients for average prices of Brazilian corned beef exports to European Union were significant to explain prices and volumes of corned beef exports to USA. Most of those prices variations were due to external demand variables. In the intervention model analysis for special cuts, the 1995 March point was significant, indicating a reduction effect on those product prices, for three months. This effect can be related to the embargo of European imports to the São Paulo and Minas Gerais States beef exports, during that period. In general, interventions results related to sanitary events were not significant or conclusive. Possibly, data regionalization for Cattle Circuits could generate clear results on those events impacts.