MARKET ANALYSIS OF CLUSTERS IN SERBIAN AGRIBUSINESS
Keywords:
clusters, agribusiness, competitiveness, productivity, innovation.Abstract
In the national economy clusters have been recognized as an instrument for strengthening productivity and innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as an instrument for regional development starting from 2005, when the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development began with the implementation of development projects of the first clusters. The ministry along with other government and foreign institutions, which worked to build clusters based on the projects, has provided support for cluster development in the national economy. The subjects of this paper are clusters in Serbian agribusiness registered until June 05, 2013. The aim of this work is to identify main characteristics of clusters, problems in their functioning, and to propose measures for cluster promotion in the future. This is achieved by market analysis of clusters or survey in the form of interviews. The research results indicate that clusters in Serbia were unable to develop until middle of 2013. They still possess low operative, innovative and export capacities, and there is a lack of key contributions of clusters to creating a unique regional specialization of labor and knowledge, as well as increasing regional competitiveness. In the future cluster development in agribusiness will be directly related to the creation of a favorable business environment for SMEs, simulative and predictable agricultural policy, as well as developed entrepreneurial initiatives aimed at joint activities and cooperation.
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