Setting up an agricultural cooperative

Pool equipment, purchasing, storage or sales with other farmers: from five members, with approval from the Ministry of Agriculture.

An agricultural cooperative rests on the professional solidarity of its members and is not profit-driven. It lets you buy and sell together, share equipment, or process and market your produce.

Three types of cooperative

The regulations distinguish:

The specialised services cooperative: supplies, irrigation, machinery, advice…
The sector cooperative: production, collection, processing, marketing and export within one sector
The multi-purpose cooperative: several purposes, matching the variety of its members' activities

Who can be a member?

At least five members are required. They may be individual farmers or legal entities with a farming activity; all must prove farmer status, usually with the card issued by the agriculture chamber.

Steps to set it up

In order:

Founding general meeting: adoption of the articles, election of the management bodies, appointment of the auditor
The creation is recorded in a notarial deed
Approval request to the Ministry of Agriculture: wilaya committee, or national committee if the cooperative covers several wilayas

The approval file

It includes in particular:

Certificates of farmer status for the members
The articles and the minutes of the founding general meeting
The list of members of the management bodies
Proof of subscription of the shares

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum number of members?▼

Five members, all of whom must prove farmer status.

Can a cooperative process and sell?▼

Yes: a sector cooperative can cover everything from production to marketing and export.

Who grants the approval?▼

The Ministry of Agriculture, through a wilaya committee or, for a cooperative active in several wilayas, the national committee.

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Other Agriculture pages

General information, up to date as of October 2026. Laws and schemes change: we check your situation before any step.

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