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Serbia, Israel sign agreement on agricultural cooperation
ries, currants, cranberries and similar small fruits. The new rules will not apply to the export of apples, peaches or nectarines.
14) 2020 price forecasts released for ten agricultural products
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March 10th, 2020, https://agrosmart.net/2020/03/10/cene-u-2020-oko-proseka-znacajan-pad-samo-kod-maline/
The Ministry of Agriculture, working in collaboration with the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), has released a 2020price forecast for ten agriculture products:
• Wheat –the average price is expected to average approximately EUR 160 per ton, with lower prices in the spring and higher prices in the autumn. • Corn –higher demand globally is expected to push corn prices to approximately EUR 140 per ton. • Soy beans –there is a slight increase in price expected for soy beans this year, amounting to an estimated EUR 330. • Cattle –the average annual price of live cattle scales is expected to be between EUR 1.86 and EUR 1.90. • Pigs –the average annual price of live pigs is expected to range between EUR 139 and EUR 145. • Potatoes –global prices for potatoes are nearly impossible to predict as there is tremendous variation between different points of sale. Domestic prices, however, are expected to range between RSD 47 and RSD 58. • Peppers –similar to potatoes, an average global price is not practical to predict; however, the domestic price is expected to be approximately EUR 1.8 per kilogram. • Raspberries –demand for raspberries has been declining, leading to an average purchase price of between EUR 0.80 and EUR 1.00. • Blueberries –blueberry prices are expected to remain consistent, with prices at the quantum market ranging from RSD 400 to RSD 1,000. • Plums –there has been no indication that demand for fresh plums will change from previous years; as such, the average purchase price of plums is expected to remain between USD 0.50 and USD 0.60.
These price forecasts were made on the basis of global and stock market reports, analyses of trends and possible risks, impact events on product prices and the expectations of all participants in the various market chains.
15) First International Banat Wine Festival held in Zrenjanin
March 6th, 2020, http://www.psp.vojvodina.gov.rs/VestiCyr.aspx?Id=22350
The first International Banat Wine Festival was held this month as part of an effort to support the development of viticulture and wine production in Central Banat. The festival gathered approximately 80 exhibitors and featured 170 competing wines. The festival also marked the first gathering of winemakers from Vojvodina and the surrounding regions in Zrenjanin (Central Banat). In addition to the wine competition, the festival also featured expert lectures in the field of winemaking, viticulture and tourism. The Provincial Secretary of Agriculture for Vojvodina hopes that this event will become an annual one that continues to grow and bring awareness to the region’s capacity to produce quality wines.
March 6th, 2020, http://www.rtv.rs/sr_ci/ekonomija/savremeno-zadrugarstvo-u-srbiji_1100395.html
The second Contemporary Cooperative Society in Serbia conference was held as part of an effort to strengthen the development of the cooperative society in the country by highlighting practical examples, offering expert advice and encouraging farmers to form and/or join associations/cooperatives, with the ultimate goal of making Serbian farmers more competitive in domestic and international mar-
kets. This second iteration of the conference brought together farmers in Knic (Sumadija region) who are interested in joint activities that will help them increase production capacities and obtain a better market position. Specifically, this iteration of the conference focused on providing farmers with an international perspective, especially the marketing of products through cooperatives. The conference also highlighted that three new cooperatives are expected to be establishing in the Knic municipality in the near future, joining the two existing (vegetable and beekeeping) cooperatives that are active in the area.
17) Wheat exports down five times due to poor quality
March 5th, 2020, https://www.danas.rs/ekonomija/psenica-loseg-kvaliteta-izvoz-pao-pet-puta/
Although there is still some uncertainty (especially as spring weather can still change the situation), the lack of snow cover this winter is expected to negatively impact the production levels of spring crops. As a response, most market estimates forecast that the prices for most Serbian spring crops will rise this year. One important exception to this is the price for Serbian wheat. Serbian wheat, in general, suffers from a lack of quality, largely due to the country’s wheat producers using poorer-quality seeds and/or failing to apply the most appropriate agricultural technology to wheat production. In fact, the quality of Serbian wheat is so low that Serbian wheat exports are down five times compared to the previous year. If Serbian wheat is to rebound and gain traction in export markets, it is important that wheat producers begin using quality seeds and implementing appropriate agricultural practices.
18) Komercijalna Banka to become most important partner for agribusinesses
March 4th, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2808016/nlb-plans-for-komercijalna
Nova Ljubljanska Banka recently bought an 83.23% share of Komercijalna Banka and plans to help it become the most important partner to agribusinesses in Serbia. Both banks are currently active in supporting the agricultural sector, but the board of Nova Ljubljanska Banka believes that more work can be done in this direction. Specifically, the board hopes to leverage existing Komercijalna Banka relationships as well as include Komercijalna Banka in a larger regional platform that will help agribusinesses more easily penetrate regional markets outside of Serbia.
19) Price of Serbian agricultural land growing 5-7% per year
March 2nd, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2804325/price-of-agricultural-land
In the past three years, the price of agricultural land in Serbia has grown by 5-7% per year. The highest average prices for agricultural land are currently in South Banat (EUR 10,300 per hectare), North Backa (EUR 9,650 per hectare), Srem (EUR 8,500 per hectare) and West Backa (EUR 8,250 per hectare). The lowest average prices for agricultural land are in Southern Serbia and Eastern Serbia (EUR 2,750 per hectare). Average prices for agricultural land in Sumadija and Western Serbia amount to EUR 3,350 per hectare, and average prices for agricultural land in Belgrade are EUR 4,200 per hectare.
Prepared by Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) www.bfconsulting.com Articles are taken directly from local sources without any fact-checking; they are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. Business & Finance Consulting (BFC)’s editing is limited to providing a short summary in English of the texts, highlighting the main points of the original articles. All rights reserved by the authors. BFC takes no responsibility and does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, or assume any responsibility whatsoever for the content, accuracy, and reliability, or completeness of any of the articles.
