PRODUCTION AND EXPORT OF FRUIT AS A FACTOR OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

During the transition period in Serbia, that has been lasting for the last two decades, the de-industrialization process took place. That led to an increase in the number of unemployed persons of which the certain number found alternative employment in agriculture. Fruit production has proved to be the possibility of primary or additional source of income for such persons, especially since it could be based on small farms, in property or leased. Moreover, some fruit crops such as e.g. raspberries, cherries, blackberries and blueberries are labor intensive. The proftability of fruit production depends not only on applied technology and climatic conditions, but also from changing market prices in buy ups as well as in exports. Incentives for agriculture are concentrated for the most part in the production of crops. Unfortunately, incentives for raspberry production, as a leading agriculture export product, virtually do not exist. Furthermore, the fruit production also engaged a large number of seasonal workers and because of its cost-effectiveness has strong impact on the retention of the population in rural areas. As a result of these benefts fruit production requires changes in the current state of agricultural policy for this sector.