Serbia farming news: Potatoes, wheat, flour

Profit from potato processing 10 times lower than three years ago

In Serbia, table potatoes are produced on about 25.000 hectares. The total production amounts to 450.000 to 500.000 tons, while the average consumption per capita is about 50 kg, which means that the country needs about 250.000 tons for domestic consumption, writes the Biznis.rs portal.

Of the total production, 50.000 tons go into processing. According to CompanyWall , 18 companies are engaged in the processing and canning of potatoes in Serbia, and this activity includes various products, from frozen French fries to chips and various snacks made from potatoes. Investing in potato production is expensive - the minimum investment is €5 thousand per hectare. However, due to inadequate storage, more than 70.000-80.000 tons of potatoes dehydrates and becomes unconditioned, for further processing. According to agricultural analysts, Serbia used to be a country of potatoes, while today it has become very dependent on imports. From 12.000 to 15.000 tons of French fries are imported into Serbia alone annually. Bad results in potato processing and canning are also confirmed by the data of the CompanyWall rating company because the total profit of this activity has decreased almost tenfold in just last three years. In 2020, the profit of all companies involved in the processing and canning of potatoes amounted to €936 thousands, while in 2022 the operating result fell to €96 thousand.  A large number of producers say that they have reduced production due to the high costs of energy sources and fertilizers, as well as the lack of quality seeds, writes the Biznis.rs portal.

Serbia increases export of flour into the EU

Serbia has increased the export of flour to the European Union, whereby two new markets have opened for the local mills. "The new economic year began well for the milling industry, as 33.000 tons of exported flour was sold in July and August, which is 30% above the average foreign trade results than in the previous years. What is even more important to say when it comes to this year’s exports is that local exporters have two new markets – Hungary and Slovenia, so it would be good for this foreign trade to continue in the next period as well," the director of Zitounija Association, Zdravko Sajatovic, said for Dnevnik daily. He says that there is plenty of flour, because there is enough wheat to cover the local needs and to have enough left over to sell it to other markets as well. He noted that Serbia’s traditional buyers were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia, where the country sold around 90% of the surplus wheat.

"We sell the most wheat to surrounding countries because transportation costs are low since the distances are not big. That is why it is the best for Serbia is to sell as much of this item as possible to the countries in our immediate proximity, so Hungary and Slovenia are ideal as new importers of Serbian flour," Sajatovic pointed out.

Up to 3.4 million tons of wheat produced

By September 5 this year Serbia produced 3.4 million tons of wheat, which is 10.9% more than last year, the Statistical Office (RZS) announced. The expected production of corn is about €6.6 million tons, which is 54.8% higher than last year, sunflowers by 6.7%, sugar beets by 22.4%, and soybeans by 55.5%. The production of raspberries is lower by 15%, and cherries by 11.9%.

According to the announcement, the production of plums is expected to decrease by 27.8%, apples by 11.9% and grapes by 12.4%. Compared to the 10-year average (2013-2022), wheat production is 25.1% higher, sunflower by 14.9%, soybean by 9.9%, and corn by 5%, while sugar beet production is lower by 16.5% and grape production by 10.8%. Compared to the 10-year average, the expected production of plums this year is 14.2% lower, and that of apples is 17.1% lower.

Milk machines installed in Belgrade

Marko Krsmancic, the initiator of the “Salvation for Small Farms initiative”, installed two milk machines in Belgrade, from which it is possible to buy milk delivered directly from small farms.

The first milk machine was installed in July in  part of Belgrade called Bezanijska Kosa, and the second one was installed in the BEO shopping mall last week. As Krsmancic explains for TV N1, in order for customers to pour milk, they need a bottle, and if one doesn't have one, he or she can buy it for 0.85 EUR. It is possible to buy raw cow and goat's milk in the milk machine on Bezanijska Kosa, while only cow's milk is served in the BEO shopping mall. The price of milk is €0.85 for half a liter and €1.7 EUR for a liter of milk.

Payment can be done by credit card. The milk comes from Glisic farm, which is located in Deliblatska Pescara. “I saw these machines abroad and I wanted to implement the same system in our market and allow customers to know where the milk comes from.” We cooperate with the Glisic farm, with which we have more than partnership cooperation,” says Krsmancic. He emphasizes that the milk is tested at every pick-up and that the milk machine is filled every or every other day. “The idea is to cover more locations in Belgrade  and to try to help small producers in that way. Farmers get a fair price and they will not plan to leave the dairy business but will stay in the countryside. We have a lot of applications from farmers who want to participate in this. It shows that we are doing the right thing,” said Krsmancic.

22 out of 25 honey samples are forgeries

Of the 25 honey samples that were recently taken from large markets in the city of Pancevo, as many as 22 did not pass the tests, which is a staggering 88%, writes daily Politika. The newspaper clarifies that Serbia has recently started control according to the so-called EIM-IRMS method for assessing the authenticity of food products, which is the result of years of scientific research work by the graduate technology engineer Ivan Smajlovic.

The initiator of the first such market survey is the United Cluster for Quality, in cooperation with the Consumer Movement for Food Quality. With this accredited method, it is possible to identify counterfeits in other products as well, the newspaper writes, noting that the analysis of the quality of wine and rakija on the domestic market is underway. “The cluster cooperated with the Consumer Movement for Food Quality Association and the Ana Lab laboratory from Pancevo, which enabled analyses at the best prices. The results are scandalous. This year, when beekeepers are on a beggar's stick, someone is getting rich by selling sugar as honey. They do not only cheats consumers but also the government through tax evasion. We reiterate that the VAT on sugar products is 20% and on honey only 10%. The difference goes directly into the pockets of counterfeiters,” says Rodoljub Zivadinovic, President of the Association of Beekeeping Organizations of Serbia (SPOS) for daily Politika.

Serbia is the first country in the world to have a specialized accredited laboratory of this type, with an accredited EIM-IRMS methodology that is recognized at the level of the International Organization for Vine & Wine and is part of the official domestic regulation as a method for testing wine quality.

After the writing of daily Politika, the Ministry of Agriculture imposed an extraordinary inspection of bee production and trade of this product. The Ministry also stated that laboratory that undertook the testing of bee samples is not officially accredited by the competent authority to perform such tests, reports daily Politika.

SUV drivers force bears out of their habitats

The administration of Tara National Park, regarding the controversial information placed in public about whether there are too many bears on that mountain that started coming to houses and tourist apartments, even to the nearby town of Bajina Basta, stated that this is a consequence of the irresponsible behavior of people. “When SUVs are driving around the nature reserve, it's no wonder that bears are seen in the settlements, even in the town of Bajana Basta itself. Apparently, unscrupulous savages, who think they are above the law, chased them out of the forest,” announced Tara National Park.

The custodian service of the national park has on several occasions sent the police videos showing the license plates of off-road vehicles and ATVs that drive animals out of their habitats with the noise and disturbance they are causing. “Is there an end to the arrogance of some individuals and the destruction of Tara National Park? Is it possible that some people do not have the slightest decency and no respect for anything? Can't endangered and rare plant and animal species be safe even in the first protection zone within a national park,” reads the announcement on the Tara National Park website.

As they stated, various incidents that led to the degradation of the Tara National Park are occurring more often. “Obviously, it is not enough for many that more than half of the park's surface is in the third protection regime, which allows a more than liberal way of use, but they also run wild in the localities of the first level of protection.” One of the major incidents happened on April 14 this year, when wildlife monitoring cameras recorded about 15 off-road vehicles in the Racanska Sljivovica reserve. “The drivers of these vehicles ignored the posted signs indicating that it is a site of the first degree protection, which covers an area of 17.81 hectares. This is the habitat of numerous endangered and strictly protected species such as the Ural owl, the three-toed woodpecker, and the brown bear,” the text adds.