Which type of cooperative engages in the supply of production inputs to members and markets their products?

• A. Credit Cooperative
• B. Marketing Cooperative
• C. Producers Cooperative
• D. Consumers Cooperative

Answer: (B)

The function described—providing production inputs to members and also marketing the members’ products—is typical of a producers’ cooperative. These cooperatives are formed by producers (such as farmers or artisans) to strengthen both ends of the value chain: they collectively purchase inputs like seeds, fertilizer, tools, or equipment for their members at better prices, and they also pool, process, or market the members’ products to achieve better prices and reduced marketing costs. Marketing cooperatives, by contrast, focus mainly on selling and promoting members’ products and may not be involved in supplying production inputs. Credit and consumers cooperatives serve different primary needs (financing or consumer goods, respectively) and aren’t defined by supplying inputs or marketing producers’ outputs. So the cooperative that combines input supply with marketing of products is the producers’ cooperative.