The evolution of co-operation in Lithuanian agriculture during the past hundred-year-old is analysed in the paper. It is determined that the co-operation has greatly depended on the farming condition and traditions of communication, the state policy with respect to the development of agriculture and co-operation, various economical conditions. Particularly great are the specific features of development under transition of economics conditions: weak agricultural structures (farmer’s farms, agricultural companies); the domination of share capital in the processing industry and commerce; the insufficiency of agricultural and foodstuffs market.  O the base of analysis of theoretical preconditios of activity of co-operatives, in this paper are provided principles of development of its. It was determined, that most perspective preconditions for development of co-operation at present and in near future have co-operatives, in which cost of production raw materials had important comparative weight – i.e. co-operatives of facilities, realisation, finance and representation of interests.