Entre o declínio e a reinvenção: Atualidade das funções do sistema público atacadista de alimentos no Brasil

Abstract

This paper presents some evidences of changes which are occurring in the apparatus of public food wholesaler in Brazil addressing the evolution, characteristics and functions of the current structure of the Brazilian wholesale supply. The paper discusses some considerations regarding the historical context verified at the time of creation of the National Wholesale Market System (Sinac) in the 70s and the emergence of new models for the wholesale markets from the 80s. It is an analysis based on observation data collected with 29 public wholesalers in Brazil in 2009 with information on origin and destination of traded horticultural, such as warehouses, from a significant sample. Systemic patterns can be observed through two aspects: the performance of economic activity of main Brazilian wholesalers warehouses and remaining functions of assembly and distribution of local and regional productions. We intend to prove that the group of governmental supply is very heterogeneous and that, in general terms, the dynamics of their growth is established "from outside to inside" - many of these devices do not play important roles as implementers of governmental policies for supplies.