Ekonomika poljoprivrede

FACTORS INFLUENCING THE PROFITABILITY OF SMES FROM THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA: FOOD INDUSTRY

2025-06-17T19:37:45+02:00

Drawing from an extensive literature review on the impact of microeconomic and macroeconomic variables on the profitability of food enterprises globally and within national markets, this research analyzes the performance of small and medium-sized food companies in the Republic of Serbia from 2014 to 2022. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of microeconomic and macroeconomic factors on their profitability. By applying panel regression analysis, the impact of various factors on profitability, measured by return on assets, was examined. The research findings indicate that both the current asset turnover ratio and the growth rate of gross domestic product exert a significant positive influence on the profitability of the examined enterprises, whereas factors such as indebtedness, average collection period, asset tangibility, and inflation demonstrate a significant negative impact.

THE RURAL POPULATION AND THE POVERTY THREAT

2025-06-17T19:37:43+02:00

In many European countries, there is an increasing possibility of poverty threat. This paper undertakes a comprehensive investigation into the determinants of rural poverty in 27 European countries, utilizing Eurostat data from 2010 to 2020. The research aims to identify factors influencing poverty threats in rural areas with a detailed focus on social protection expenditure. Two regression models are employed to address these objectives. The primary model analyses the impact of social protection expenditure, rural employment, and freight transport on poverty threats. The supplementary model examines the relationship between social protection expenditure, rural households and the older population. The key findings prove that social protection expenditure significantly reduces poverty threats. However, economic activities such as rural employment and freight transport show no statistically confirmed impact on poverty reduction in rural areas.

DECENTRALIZED WASTEWATER TREATMENT: AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR RURAL AREAS

2025-06-17T19:37:41+02:00

This study provides a comparative analysis of conventional and innovative wastewater treatment technologies for small settlements of up to 2,000 equivalent inhabitants (EH). Conventional systems such as the Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR), Membrane Bioreactor (MBR), and Moving Bed Bioreactor (MBBR) were evaluated based on treatment efficiency, energy consumption, sludge production, operational complexity, and spatial requirements. Additionally, the potential of phytoremediation, specifically constructed wetlands, as a sustainable and low-cost alternative was explored. The study concludes that phytoremediation systems are a viable option for decentralized wastewater treatment in rural or ecologically sensitive areas due to their low operational costs and minimal energy needs. It recommends wider adoption of these systems, supported by further research and educational programs to optimize their design across different climates.

THE FUTURE OF SERBIAN FRUIT EXPORTS TO EGYPT: OPPORTUNITIES UNDER THE NEW FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

2025-06-17T19:37:31+02:00

This study examines the potential impact of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Serbia and Egypt on Serbian fruit exports. It identifies fruit products with strong trade complementarity to Egypt’s import needs and projects export growth from tariff reductions. Using Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and the Michaely Trade Complementarity Index (TCI), the analysis highlights Serbia’s globally competitive fruit products and their alignment with Egypt’s demand. A simulation model, incorporating Egypt’s demand elasticity and anticipated price reductions, predicts significant growth for products like fresh apples, plums, and dried apricots, while frozen fruits, despite high RCA, show limited prospects. The findings offer actionable recommendations for expanding production in high-demand sectors, leveraging Serbia’s comparative advantages, and diversifying exports to maximize FTA benefits. This study provides a strategic framework for enhancing Serbia’s fruit trade with Egypt, supporting informed policymaking and stakeholder decisions in an evolving global trade environment.

COMPETITIVENESS OF THE AGRI-FOOD SECTOR OF SERBIA THROUGH THE PERSPECTIVE OF UNIT VALUES OF EXPORTS AND IMPORTS

2025-06-17T19:37:28+02:00

The paper aims to investigate the export competitiveness of the Serbian agricultural and food (agri-food) sector at the divisional level. The core of the methodological approach is the calculation of export unit values (EUV) and import unit values (IUV) using data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS). The paper looks at export values, unit values, net exports, and competitiveness factors of the agri-food divisions for 2023. The obtained values indicate that Vegetables and Fruits is the division that has the largest share in agri-food exports, shows excellent terms of trade, and belongs to the group (category) of rare divisions that achieve competitiveness with quality. The Tobacco division is another important chapter of the agri-food sector, which also achieves non price competitiveness, has a positive terms of trade and significant net exports, which are very good circumstances in conditions of the necessary structural changes and sustainable export growth of the overall sector. These highly propulsive divisions show the greatest potential for development and increase in the degree of processing, so in the future they should be further supported by the measures of the agricultural policy of Serbia.

THE NET PRESENT VALUE OF INVESTMENTS IN RAISING AND EXPLOITING WALNUT PLANTATIONS

2025-06-17T19:37:26+02:00

The subject of the research is the application of the net present value and methods based on it for the assessment of the economic justification of raising walnut plantations of Sejnovo variety on 3 and 10 ha, with same cultivation form and planting system. The research was conducted on the basis of data collected during the period 2022-2024. in Western Serbia. For a plantation of 3 ha, indicators of economic effectiveness per unit area are lower than indicators for a plantation of 10 ha, i.e. 53,378 €/ha<8,375 €/ha (net present value) and 69,204 €/ha<73,089 €/ ha (capitalised value). Pay-back period for a 10 ha is shorter than a 3 ha i.e. 9.24 years<9.64 years and internal rate of return for a 10 ha is higea than a 3 ha by 0.57%, i.e. 37.92%>37.35%. It is concluded that investing in establishing and exploiting walnut plantations on an area of 10 ha is more economically

ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF AGRICULTURE IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

2025-06-17T19:37:21+02:00

The aim of the paper is to analyze the economic significance of agriculture in Serbia and Croatia. Bearing in mind the similarities in the characteristics of agricultural production, as well as the economic characteristics of agricultural entities, the authors of the research start from the hypothesis that agriculture has approximately the same economic significance in the current period in both countries. In order to verify the hypothesis, the paper analyzes the relevant macro-economic indicators. For this purpose, the following methods are used: desk research, descriptive statistics, analysis and synthesis, as well as the comparative method. The authors conclude that in recent years the participation of agriculture in the gross domestic product has recorded a downward trend in both countries, as well as the participation of the number of employees in agriculture in the total number of employees. Based on the conducted research, the authors conclude that agriculture has a decreasing economic significance and in Serbia and in Croatia.

A PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF RASPBERRY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS: A SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE SITUATION IN THE SERBIA AND POLAND

2025-06-17T19:37:18+02:00

Raspberry is Serbia’s most significant agro-industrial export, giving the country a competitive edge globally despite its smaller size and lower technological development. Over the past decade (2013–2022), raspberry production has faced challenges, including disputes over purchase prices between producers and cold store owners. The paper analyses global, European, and Serbian raspberry production, including yields, export/import data, and prices, with a comparison to Poland—another leading producer. Both countries have ideal conditions for high-yield raspberry farming, though production remains extensive in some areas. Serbia holds a top global position in frozen raspberry exports, and there is strong potential for growth, especially in fresh and organic raspberries. This requires government support, subsidies, and better use of natural and local resources to boost competitiveness and rural development.

TYPE OF ACCOMODATION IN RURAL AREAS IN SERBIA AND CHALLENGES IN FUTHER RURAL TOURISM DEVELOPMET

2025-06-17T19:37:16+02:00

This study explores tourists’ accommodation preferences in rural areas of Serbia, aiming to identify the most frequently used types of lodging, key decision-making factors, and potential differences across demographic groups. The research is based on a survey of 250 respondents conducted in March 2024, with data analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA. Results show that tourists most often choose household-based accommodation and hotels, with location, equipment, and accessibility being the most influential factors. No statistically significant differences were found across gender, age, or education level. The study highlights the dominance of short domestic stays, limited influence of digital platforms, and a high share of informal accommodation practices. Findings suggest the need for investment in infrastructure and support for formalizing rural tourism services. The research contributes to understanding rural tourist behavior and offers practical insights for improving rural hospitality offerings in Serbia.

ANALYSIS OF RISK AVOIDANCE THROUGH DIVERSIFICATION, WITH REFERENCE TO AGRICULTURAL FARMS

2025-06-17T19:37:13+02:00

In this paper, the authors analyze the advantages of business diversification as a concept of a stable investment strategy, by investing capital in several different types of investments with the aim of avoiding or reducing risk. In agriculture, diversification is an agrarian policy embodied in increasing the diversity of economic activities in the rural economy. The social and economic development of rural areas is based on the creation of conditions in which the income of economic entities becomes more stable than in the case when they are engaged exclusively in agriculture, which all contributes to strengthening the social economic position of economic entities in agriculture and slowing down depopulation. The paper, using descriptive and comparative methods, analyzed the successful diversification of agricultural holdings in the territory of Srem. The aim of the research is to look at all the benefits that diversification brings to economic, ecological and social rural development.

ACCOUNTING FOR AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY: HOW TRANSPARENT ARE SERBIAN COMPANIES?

2025-06-17T19:37:08+02:00

In this study, we analyze compliance with global professional accounting regulation in a sample of Serbian agricultural companies. Focusing on key mandatory disclosures related to biological assets, we calculate the companies’ annual and average Disclosure Scores and find significant non- compliance. Despite the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as the “gold standard” for high- quality financial reporting, company management fails to provide transparent disclosures in the financial statements, underscoring the importance of country- and company- specific determinants of financial reporting quality. We identify that variations in financial transparency can be explained by differences in the company’s reporting framework, type of auditor, and ownership structure, while the effects of company size and legal form remain inconclusive. The findings of our research may be valuable to investors, corporate managers, regulators, and future researchers looking at the quality of financial reporting on agricultural activity.

AGRICULTURE 5.0 POTENTIAL AND THE APPLICATION OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN SERBIA

2025-06-17T19:37:06+02:00

This study explores key factors influencing Agriculture 5.0 adoption in Serbia, focusing on investment trends, government R&D funding, IoT adoption, and rural internet penetration. Data and literature analysis reveals that domestic investment and R&D spending drive digital transformation, and foreign investment remains volatile. IoT and internet expansion support smart farming but require further investment. Policy recommendations include strengthening digital infrastructure and increasing support for agricultural innovation. Future research should examine long-term investment impacts and sustainability benefits to improve Serbia’s transition to digital agriculture.

ON THE EMPIRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BALASSA AND GRUBEL LLOYD INDEX OF SERBIAN FOOD PRODUCTS

2025-06-17T19:36:59+02:00

The research analyzes the comparative advantage of Serbia’s agricultural food product exports using the Balassa (RCA) and Grubel-Lloyd (GL) indexes, covering 2005–2024. Results for 2024 show a strong RCA in wheat and a significant advantage in flour, corn, barley, groats, and processed fruit. The greatest RCA growth occurred in barley and spices, while chocolate and dairy products saw the steepest decline. The analysis of trade structure indicates that Serbia maintains a predominantly inter-industry trade pattern across most product groups. However, there is notable growth in intra-industry exchange, as evidenced by an increase in the GL index for tea, live animals, cereal products, and chocolate. The highest GL index growth in inter-industry trade was recorded for processed fish. Overall, the study highlights Serbia’s stable export surplus in agri-food trade and evolving trade dynamics, especially the increasing presence of intra-industry trade in selected product categories.

SELECTION OF SOCIAL CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION ON THE EXAMPLE OF AN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY

2025-06-17T19:36:56+02:00

The paper selected the most efficient social communication channel in an agricultural enterprise. On this occasion, an innovative expert decision-making method was used, namely its fuzzy variant SiWeC and RAWEC. Ten criteria and six alternatives were set, and the results show that the criteria “Number of users”, “User characteristics” and “Feedback speed” have the greatest importance, while the most important (most favorable) social channel of communication is “facebook.”The successful application of the method used was confirmed, as well as the importance of certain factors in the form of analyzed criteria, the number of which should be increased in future research, and the method itself should be further developed.

GREEN MARKETING AS A FACTOR OF SUSTAINABLE RURAL TOURISM IN THE ĐURĐEVIĆA TARA NATIONAL PARK

2025-06-17T19:36:54+02:00

This paper examines the role of green marketing in developing sustainable rural tourism, with Đurđevića Tara National Park as a case study. The aim was to assess how tourism stakeholders apply green marketing principles and how tourists perceive ecological aspects of the destination. The research identified two related but distinct dimensions linking perceptions of green marketing with sustainable rural development. Correlation and regression analyses confirmed statistically significant positive relationships between these variables. Key sustainability factors include cooperation with the local community and the use of renewable energy. A moderating effect of tourists’ origin was observed: domestic tourists value education and nature preservation more, while international visitors prioritize economic and social benefits. These insights emphasize the need for an integrated approach to planning and the importance of adapting strategies to different visitor profiles to achieve long-term sustainability.

REFORMING THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICY (2023 – 2027) – GOALS AND NEW SYSTEM SOLUTIONS –

2025-06-17T19:37:38+02:00

The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is crucial for ensuring the future of agriculture and the rural development in the EU. The shortcomings of CAP in the previous period, challenges related to the global economic and geopolitical situation, the increasing need for environmental preservation and the necessity to mitigate climate change have led to CAP reform for 2023-2027. The subject of this study is to analyse the general and specific goals of the new CAP reform, as well as the adopted systemic solutions. The aim is to present the key goals, objectives and elements of the reformed CAP, particularly the most significant innovations – national strategic plans, various forms of direct payments and new environmental solutions within both pillars of CAP. The results show that strategic plans and new system solution provide a good starting point to ensure the fulfilment of the specific needs of EU farmers and rural communities, using CAP measures and instruments set in the strategic framework. The new environmental solutions have caused concern among some EU farmers and are subject to revision.

ANALYSIS OF THE PRODUCTION COST OF A UNIT OF BIODIESEL PRODUCTION IN THE BIODIESEL PLANT

2025-06-17T19:37:36+02:00

Biodiesel is defined as mono-alkyl ester of fatty acids obtained from vegetable oils or animal fats. In this paper, an analysis of the cost of the production of a unit of biodiesel is given. It is shown which parameters affect the cost price of the unit of this product produced in the biodiesel plant. Analyzed biodiesel plant is in Skopje in North Macedonia with a projected capacity of 20,000 tons of biodiesel per year. Also, a comparative analysis of different cases was done: the case where during the design and implementation of the production plant the capacity of the production plant would be increased to the level of 25,000 tons, as well as to the level of 30,000 tons of produced biodiesel. It was also shown how the use of a sufficient level of soybean oil would affect the cost of the unit of the biodiesel product.

THE SUSTAINABILITY OF AGRITOURISM IN ROMANIA IN THE OPINION OF PENSION ADMINISTRATORS

2025-06-17T19:37:33+02:00

Sustainable tourism should encompass all tourism forms, support local communities, and protect the environment while meeting diverse tourist demands. Agritourism offers a viable alternative, with growing interest in rural areas and eco-friendly agricultural products. This study analyzes agritourism sustainability by evaluating the share of self-produced agricultural consumption in guesthouses, based on a survey among administrators from five key Romanian counties: Argeș, Brașov, Dâmbovița, Prahova, and Teleorman. Results highlight the critical role of ecological products and green strategies in promoting sustainable tourism behavior. The findings underline the need to integrate cultural and ecological elements into tourism to foster responsible practices. This research offers tourism managers and policymakers a practical foundation for encouraging environmentally conscious tourism development and supporting green consumption.

PATTERNS OF AGRI-FOOD INTRA-INDUSTRY TRADE BETWEEN CZECHIA AND EU MEMBER STATES: TWO DECADES OF THE EU MEMBERSHIP

2025-06-17T19:37:23+02:00

The article assesses the dynamic of Czechia’s agri-food intra-industry trade (IIT) with other EU countries. Methods such as Grubel-Lloyd index, Greenaway, Hine and Milner method, and Fontagné and Freudenberg method were applied using EUROSTAT bilateral trade data at 6-digit HS code from 1999 to 2022. Although the inter-industry trade still prevails in the structure of Czechia’s agri-food trade, the IIT intensity has increased. Nonetheless, the increase started to slow down and stopped in the last decade. The IIT is mostly vertical in nature and significant variations across specific agri-food sectors exist. Increased intensity of IIT indicates potentially positive welfare effects when compared to inter-industry trade and advocates the integration into the economic structures of the Single European Market. Findings inform policymakers in countries aspiring to EU membership when assessing the potential nature of the trade dynamic during participation in the Single European Market.

HARMONIZATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA WITH THE AGRICULTURAL POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

2025-06-17T19:37:11+02:00

This paper focuses on agricultural policy as a set of measures that influence the functioning, growth, and improvement of agriculture in a country like the Republic of Serbia. Serbia’s agricultural policy is intertwined with various national policy activities and depends on the common budget resources, facing constant pressures and challenges. The key objective is to analize the alignment of Serbia’s agricultural policy (SAP) measures with the agricultural policy of the European Union. The results of this research indicate that although the SAP has experienced decline and serious crises, structural and systemic changes in agricultural policy have occurred in recent years through integration, the adoption of standards and regulations, and significant financial investments. Harmonization with EU laws, accompanied by increasing financial assistance, enables further development of Serbia’s agricultural policy. However, several limiting factors still exist in Serbia concerning alignment with the EU’s agricultural policy, such as the unfavorable position of rural areas, low educational levels of the population, and depopulation of rural regions.

AN ASSESSMENT OF SERBIAN INTERNATIONAL SUNFLOWER OIL TRADE

2025-06-17T19:37:01+02:00

The objective of this study is to assess Serbia’s international market position in the sector of sunflower derivatives and edible fats from 2014 to 2023, with particular focus on competitiveness and stability as global trade partner. Using method Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) and calculating the Self-Sufficiency Ratio (SSR) the study evaluates Serbia competitiveness and its ability to meet domestic needs through domestic production. The analysis covers key products such as margarine, sunflower seeds, and sunflower oil (both crude and refined). Over the past decade Serbia has experienced significant growth in production and export of sunflower based products, particularly in category of refined oil. Sunflower industry stands out as a stable partner in the global market of sunflower products, following price dynamics and adapting to market challenges. The findings of this research provide a foundation for further discussion on measure to enhance Serbia’s competitiveness, with an emphasis on adapting to global market changes and challenges.

ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND POTENTIALS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AREAS OF SERBIA

2025-06-17T19:36:15+02:00

Rural areas of Serbia face serious economic challenges, including depopulation, low levels of investment, and limited access to infrastructure. Nevertheless, these areas also possess significant potential for sustainable development, particularly in agriculture, renewable energy, rural tourism, and digital transformation. The key to improving the economic position of these regions lies in the integration of sustainable development policies that promote local entrepreneurship, preserve natural resources, and enhance the quality of life for the population. This paper analyzes the existing problems, identifies key potentials, and proposes development directions that could contribute to the long-term economic and social recovery of rural communities in Serbia.