Statistical Information on the Co-operative Movement

Statistical Information on the Co-operative Movement

The Co-operative Movement brings togethe over 800 million people around the world. The United Nations estimated in 1994 that the livelihood of nearly 3 billion people, or half of the world's population, was made secure by co-operative enterprise. These enterprises continue to play significant economic and social roles in their communities. Below are some facts about the Movement that demonstrate their relevance and contribution to economic and social development.

Large segments of the population are members of co-operatives

·         In Argentina, there are over 17,941 co-operative societies with 9.1 million members.

·         In Belgium, there were 29,933 co-operative societies in 2001.

·         In Canada, 1 in 3 individuals is a member of a co-operative (33%). The Desjardins co-operative movement in Québec has over 5 million members.

·         In Colombia over 3.3 million people are members of co-operatives or 8.01% of the population (Source: CONFECOOP. Sector Cooperativo Colombiano 2005)

·         Costa Rica count over 10% of its populations as members of co-operatives.

·         Finland S-Group has a membership of 1,468,572 individuals which represents 62% of Finnish households. (Source: SOK Corporation Annual Report 2004)

·         In germany, there are 20 million people who are members of co-operatives, 1 out of 4 people.

·         In Japan, 1 out of every 3 families are members of a co-operatives.

·         Kenya 1 in 5 is a member of a co-operative or 5.9 million and and 20 million Kenyans directly or indirectly derive their livelihood from the Co-operative Movement.

·         In India, over 239 million people are members of a co-operative.

·         In Malaysia, 5.5 million people or 20% of the total population are members of co-operatives (2005).

·         In Singapore, 50% of the population (1.6 million people) are members of a co-operative.

·         In the United States, 4 in 10 individuals is a member of a co-operative (25%).

Co-operative are significant economic actors in national economies

·         In Belgium, co-operative pharmacies have a market share of 19.5%.

·         In Benin, FECECAM, a savings and credit co-operative federation provided USD 16 million in rural loans in 2002.

·         In Brazil, co-operatives are responsible for 72% of the wheat production, 44% of barely, 43% of soya, 39% of milk, 38% of cotton, 21% of coffee and 16% of maize. Agricultural co-operatives exported over USD 1.3 billion.

·         In Bolivia, Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito "Jesús Nazareno" Ltda. (CJN) handled 25% of the savings in Bolivia in 2002.

·         Canadian maple sugar co-operatives produce 35% of the world's maple sugar production.

·         In Côte d'Ivoire co-operatives invested USD 26 million for setting up schools, building rural roads and establishing maternal clinics.

·         In Colombia, 6,462 co-operatives were responsible for 5.25% of the GDP in 2005. Saludcoop, a health co-operative, provides health care services for 15.5% of the population. Coffee co-operatives market 33.78% of Colombian coffee. Financial co-operatives hold 5.8% of the financial service market. (Source: CONFECOOP Sector Cooperativo Colombiano 2005)is responsible for providing health care services for 25% of the population.

·         In Cyprus, the co-operative movement held 30% of the market in banking services, and handled 35% of all marketing of agricultural produce.

·         In Denmark, consumer co-operatives in 2004 held 37% of the market. (Source: Coop Norden AB annual report 2004)

·         Finnish co-operative groups within Pellervo were responsible for 74% of the meat products, 96% of dairy products; 50% of the egg production, 34% of forestry products and handled 34.2% of the total deposits in Finnish banks.

·         Hungary consumer co-operatives members of Co-op Hungary are responsible for 14.4% of the national food and general retail sales in 2004. (Source: Co-op Hungary, Statistical Data 2004)

·         In Japan, the agricultural co-operatives report outputs of USD 90 billion with 91% of all Japanese farmers in membership.

·         In Kenya, co-operatives are responsible for 45% of the GDP and 31% of national savings and deposits. They have 70% of the coffee market, 76% dairy, 90% pyrethrum, and 95% of cotton.

·         In Korea, agricultural co-operatives have a membership of over 2 million farmers (90% of all farmers), and an output of USD 11 billion. The Korean fishery co-operatives also report a market share of 71%.

·         In Kuwait, the Kuwaiti Union of Consumer Co-operative Societies handled 80% of the national retail trade.

·         In Latvia, the Latvian Central Co-operative Union is responsible for 12.3% of the market in the food industry sector.

·         In Moldova, the Central Union of Consumer Co-operatives were responsible for 6.8% of the consumer market.

·         In Norway, dairy co-operatives are responsible for 99% of the milk production; consumer co-operatives held 25% of the market; fisheries co-operatives were responsible for 8.7% of total Norwegian exports; forestry co-operatives were responsible for 76% of timber and that 1.5 million people of the 4.5 million Norwegians are member of co-operatives.

·         In Poland, dairy co-operatives are responsible for 75% of dairy production.

·         In Singapore, consumer co-operatives hold 55% of the market in supermarket purchases and have a turnover of USD 700 million.

·         In Slovenia, agricultural co-operatives are responsible for 72% of the milk production, 79% of cattle; 45% of wheat and 77% of potato production.

·         In Sweden, consumer co-operatives held 17.5% of the market in 2004. (Source: Coop Norden AB annual report 2004)

·         In the UK, the largest independent travel agency is a co-operative.

·         In Urgugay, co-operative produce 90% of the total milk production, 34% of honey and 30% of wheat. 60% of co-operative production is exported to over 40 countries around the world.

·         In Vietnam, co-operatives contribute 8.6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

·         In the United States more than 30 co-operatives have annual revenue in excess of USD 1 billion. In 2003 the top 100 US co-operatives had combined revenues of USD 117 billion. In addition, approximately 30% of farmers' products in the US are marketed through 3,400 farmer-owned co-operatives.

Co-operatives create and maintain employment

·         Co-operatives provide over 100 million jobs around the world, 20% more than multinational enterprises.

·         In Canada, co-operatives and credit unions employ over 160,000 people. The Desjardins movement (savings and credit co-operatives) is the largest employer in the province of Québec.

·         In Colombia,the co-operative movement provides 109,000 jobs and an additional 379,000 as owner-workers in workers co-operatives. They provide 23% of jobs in the health sector, 18% of the jobs in the transport sector, 13% in the worker/industrial sector, 11% in the financial sector and 9% in the agricultural sector. (Source: CONFECOOP, Sector Cooperativo Colombiano 2005)

·         In Slovakia, the Co-operative Union represents more 700 co-operatives who employ nearly 75,000 individuals.

·         In France, 21,000 co-operatives provide jobs to 700,000 people.

·         In Germany, 8,106 co-operatives provide jobs for 440,000 people.

·         In Kenya, 250,000 people are employed by co-operatives.

·         In Slovakia, the Co-operative Union represents more than 700 co-operatives who employ nearly 75,000 individuals.

The information provided here has been collected from a variety of sources including ICA's statistical questionnaire, information published by co-operative organisations, presentations made by co-operatives, and government statistical offices.