The Efficiency of Cooperatives : a Case of National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives

협동조합의 효율성 : 수협중앙회의 사례

WTO system has just begun and the development for fishing industry is being carried out. The task of National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives(NFFC ) is not only to support producers' competitive edge, but also to realize the efficiency embodied in the businesses of NFFC itself. Then it can continue to compete other firms and offer the comprehensive services only when it achieves its efficiency. The efficiency of NFFC is the economies of scale and scope. NFFC should achieve its scale and scope economies to be efficient. NFFC needs to expand its size in fish distribution and banking business to have scale economies. Also, the communication and coordination systems among member-supporting, fish distribution, and banking business need to be strengthened to get its scope economies. It is interesting theoretically and in policy making to test the hypotheses that cooperatives are capable of offering the comprehensive services such as distribution, credit, and insurance to the members. It is meaningful to their development for agricultural and small businesses cooperatives as well as fisheries cooperatives to survive the fierce competition under WTO system. National Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives(NFAC) is much greater in business size than NFFC. The estimation and test in the multiproduct cost function of NFAC will show interesting results.