Economic performances of agriculture of CEFTA and former CEFTA countries

All CEFTA countries had very similar stages of economic development after World War II. Many of them were centrally-planned socialist economies and the political changes that have occurred in these countries in the late 20th century caused changes in the whole economic system, as well as in the agricultural sector. Aim of this paper is to compare economic performances of agriculture of these countries with former CEFTA countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia) which joined EU after 2004. The development performances of agriculture are considered according to the production and export performances of this economic sector, using a comparative approach. The results showed that there is a gap in development of agriculture between CEFTA countries and selected EU countries, so performances of agricultural sector are far from EU

Inovacije i rast ukupne faktorske produktivnosti u srpskoj poljoprivredi

The analysis of the total factor productivity (TFP) of Serbian agriculture is the main goal of this paper. To achieve it, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to calculate Malmquist productivity indices. Results showed that there was a significant TFP decline from 1999 to 2008 (annual mean TFP change was -4.6%) probably caused by transitional disturbances and agricultural reforms. On other hand, in the period after 2008 annual mean TFP change was 5%. This TFP growth is explained by technical change associated with the European integration process and better implementation of innovation. Therefore, it can be concluded that if technological change is generated by innovation, it could be a clear sign to agricultural policymakers to encourage investment in research and development, especially those research that has a positive impact on agricultural productivity growth and environmental performance such as organizational and information technology innovations. In addition, adequate investments in technology development can increase the competitiveness of the agricultural sector of Serbia, which is especially important in the case of full integration with the EU market.Analiza ukupne faktorske produktivnosti (TFP) srpske poljoprivrede glavni je cilj ovog rada. Da bi se to postiglo, za izračunavanje Malmquistovih indeksa produktivnosti koristi se analiza omeđivanja podataka (DEA). Rezultati su pokazali da je došlo do značajnog pada TFP-a u razdoblju 1999. - 2008. (godišnja srednja promjena TFP-a bila je -4,6%), što je vjerojatno uzrokovano tranzicijskim poremećajima i poljoprivrednim reformama. S druge strane, u razdoblju nakon 2008. godišnja srednja promjena TFP-a iznosila je 5%. Ovaj rast TFP-a objašnjava se tehničkom promjenom povezanom s procesom europskih integracija i boljom implementacijom inovacija. Stoga se može zaključiti da ako se tehnološka promjena generira inovacijama, to bi mogao biti jasan znak kreatorima poljoprivredne politike da potaknu ulaganja u istraživanje i razvoj, posebno ona istraživanja koja imaju pozitivan utjecaj na rast poljoprivredne produktivnosti i ekološke performanse kao što su inovacije u organizacijske i informacijske tehnologije. Osim toga, adekvatna ulaganja u razvoj tehnologije mogu povećati konkurentnost poljoprivrednog sektora Srbije, što je posebno važno u slučaju pune integracije s tržištem EU

ECONOMIC PERFORMANCES OF AGRICULTURE OF CEFTA AND FORMER CEFTA COUNTRIES

All CEFTA countries had very similar stages of economic development after World War II. Many of them were centrally-planned socialist economies and the political changes that have occurred in these countries in the late 20th century caused changes in the whole economic system, as well as in the agricultural sector. Aim of this paper is to compare economic performances of agriculture of these countries with former CEFTA countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia) which joined EU after 2004. The development performances of agriculture are considered according to the production and export performances of this economic sector, using a comparative approach. The results showed that there is a gap in development of agriculture between CEFTA countries and selected EU countries, so performances of agricultural sector are far from EU

Land Productivity and Agri-Environmental Indicators: A Case Study of Western Balkans

Due to the environmental radicalization of European politics, which is reflected in the European Green Deal, Farm to Fork strategy, and new CAP 2023–2027, this paper aims to determine the impact of agri-environmental indicators on soil productivity based on the land productivity function model. The paper focuses on the Western Balkans countries, which are in the process of European integration and which, in the coming period, need to harmonize their agricultural policy with the CAP. First, the aggregate Cobb–Douglas production function has been used to create a land productivity function. Then, the sources of land productivity growth have been calculated, which can be particularly interesting in the context of agri-environmental indicators, such as fertilizer use and livestock density. The research results showed that land productivity is the most elastic concerning changes in the number of livestock units per hectare. Consequently, reducing livestock units had a markedly negative effect on productivity. In addition, the research results showed that using mineral fertilizers is a crucial source of growth in land productivity in these countries. These results imply that the creators of the agricultural policy must carefully assess the pace at which they will harmonize ecological and economic goals, especially if they take into account the current Ukraine crisis that can disrupt the food market

Characteristics of the Supply Chain of Tobacco and Tobacco Products: Evidence from Serbia

Serbia is a significant producer of tobacco in Europe and the only country in Europe where tobacco production is growing. Due to privatization, some of the most important multinational companies are now producing tobacco products in Serbia. Bearing in mind the liberalization of the market and the harmful effect tobacco products have on health, this research tried to analyze the tobacco and tobacco products sector in Serbia. The study’s main goal was to analyze the characteristics of the tobacco and tobacco supply chain in Serbia and determine comparative advantages and levels of integration with the world market. The methodology used in this study included the index of concentration of tobacco manufacturers, followed by a panel regression analysis to determine factors that affected profitability in this industry. Also, foreign trade performances were analyzed using the indices of revealed comparative advantages and integration. The research was conducted for the period from 2013 to the last available year. The results indicate the growth of tobacco production despite the decline in the number of farms, the highly concentrated production of tobacco products, and the significant intensification of foreign trade despite modest comparative advantages

Inovacije i rast ukupne faktorske produktivnosti u srpskoj poljoprivredi

The analysis of the total factor productivity (TFP) of Serbian agriculture is the main goal of this paper. To achieve it, data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to calculate Malmquist productivity indices. Results showed that there was a significant TFP decline from 1999 to 2008 (annual mean TFP change was -4.6%) probably caused by transitional disturbances and agricultural reforms. On other hand, in the period after 2008 annual mean TFP change was 5%. This TFP growth is explained by technical change associated with the European integration process and better implementation of innovation. Therefore, it can be concluded that if technological change is generated by innovation, it could be a clear sign to agricultural policymakers to encourage investment in research and development, especially those research that has a positive impact on agricultural productivity growth and environmental performance such as organizational and information technology innovations. In addition, adequate investments in technology development can increase the competitiveness of the agricultural sector of Serbia, which is especially important in the case of full integration with the EU market.Analiza ukupne faktorske produktivnosti (TFP) srpske poljoprivrede glavni je cilj ovog rada. Da bi se to postiglo, za izračunavanje Malmquistovih indeksa produktivnosti koristi se analiza omeđivanja podataka (DEA). Rezultati su pokazali da je došlo do značajnog pada TFP-a u razdoblju 1999. - 2008. (godišnja srednja promjena TFP-a bila je -4,6%), što je vjerojatno uzrokovano tranzicijskim poremećajima i poljoprivrednim reformama. S druge strane, u razdoblju nakon 2008. godišnja srednja promjena TFP-a iznosila je 5%. Ovaj rast TFP-a objašnjava se tehničkom promjenom povezanom s procesom europskih integracija i boljom implementacijom inovacija. Stoga se može zaključiti da ako se tehnološka promjena generira inovacijama, to bi mogao biti jasan znak kreatorima poljoprivredne politike da potaknu ulaganja u istraživanje i razvoj, posebno ona istraživanja koja imaju pozitivan utjecaj na rast poljoprivredne produktivnosti i ekološke performanse kao što su inovacije u organizacijske i informacijske tehnologije. Osim toga, adekvatna ulaganja u razvoj tehnologije mogu povećati konkurentnost poljoprivrednog sektora Srbije, što je posebno važno u slučaju pune integracije s tržištem EU

Regional Spatial Approach to Differences in Rural Economic Development: Insights from Serbia

Rural regions with a larger share of the primary sector in the overall economy are limited in their ability to achieve a sufficient level of competitiveness. In countries such as Serbia, where rural areas play an important role, addressing the problems affecting these areas is important for overall development. The purpose of this study is to determine the socioeconomic performance of the rural regions of Serbia and the EU in order to indicate the position of Serbia’s rural areas in the process of European integration. NUTS 3 (NUTS 2 for Germany) was used for analysis, and from this an Index of Socioeconomic Performance was created. This Index was created using Factor Analysis. The results point to Serbia lagging behind other EU regions in terms of development, with most of Serbia’s rural regions receiving the lowest ratings. These results are cause for alarm and indicate a need to create strategies that will direct resources towards key issues in these areas, whose potential would be adequately used through the implementation of rural policy measures, with the aim of overall socioeconomic development

Export Competitiveness of Agri-Food Sector during the EU Integration Process: Evidence from the Western Balkans

Trade agreements with the European Union (EU) and Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) significantly influenced the liberalisation of agri-food products in Western Balkan (WB) countries. In all Western Balkan countries, there has been an intensification of the trade of agri-food products and a partial change in the regional and commodity structures of trade. This paper aims to identify comparative advantages of agri-food sectors and consider its tendencies during the EU integration process. Additionally, this paper will discuss some opportunities for improvement of the export positions of agri-food products. In that context and based on the literature review, the indexes of revealed comparative advantages and its modified version will be used as a main method for analysis in this research. Results showed that all Western Balkan countries, except Albania, have comparative advantages in exporting agri-food products. It is evident that Serbia has the highest level of comparative advantages in this sector. Moreover, this paper suggests that all countries should aim to provide the best possible positions for their agri-food products during pre-accession negotiations for EU membership and take the necessary steps towards increasing the level of competitiveness in the common EU market

Urban garden as lived space: Informal gardening practices and dwelling culture in socialist and post-socialist Belgrade

This paper considers urban gardens as lived spaces which have an important role in reconnecting with nature in an urban environment, but also as an archive of concepts related to culture and everyday life. In this context, the paper studies the character of three of Belgrade's urban gardens and their contribution to the quality of everyday life in the large-scale socialist residential settlements built during the 1970s. Focus is placed on establishing relations between the dwelling culture, social and cultural needs and changes, and the dominant architectural and planning paradigms of modernism and post-modernism. Belgrade's urban gardens were created and developed spontaneously (most often non-legally) as self-organized citizens' acts. Research presented in our case studies confirms the paper's initial assumption that the urban gardens in Belgrade are still considered marginal and certainly not representative urban practices, overshadowed by the planned urban conceptions and sociopolitical actions. In this sense, we may notice the lack of a systematic approach to managing these gardens, and complete absence of legislation either provided by authorities, private or public bodies or even associations. Although the urban gardens emerged in socialism outside of any rules and regulations, they promoted the values of an active relationship between the user, dwelling culture and immediate residential surroundings, and contributed to improving the dwelling culture of the "new working class" in the socialist dwelling units. Also, the gardens were not only a place for producing food in financially difficult times, especially during the post-socialist transition of the 1990s, but above all a place associated with socialization and a "sense of home". Recognizing the benefits of urban gardens and accordingly raising awareness about this concept in the city, together with the adoption of appropriate regulations, would certainly be of immense relevance to urban gardening and generally landscape quality in Serbia

Technical Efficiency of Agriculture in the European Union and Western Balkans: SFA Method

Improvements in productivity and efficiency, together with agricultural modernization, are crucial in the process of future sustainable development. As Western Balkan (WB) countries are in the process of integration into the European Union (EU), the importance of agricultural efficiency in an economic and environmental context and the actuality of the problems of the agricultural sector are very important. In that context, the paper’s main goal is to examine agriculture’s technical efficiency in the EU and WB. The additional goal is to group analyzed countries by agricultural performances. A stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) is used to calculate the technical efficiency of agriculture. Results have shown a significant difference in technical efficiency between WB and the EU. Furthermore, the cluster analysis has indicated the connection between overall economic development and agricultural development, partially “deformed” by agri-environmental and climate conditions. The exogenous factors do not have a crucial influence on the overall technical efficiency of agriculture in observed countries, indicating that the endogenous factors must be improved. The paper impacts recommendations for optimizing the use of inputs and improving the educations of farmers in WB countries to achieve economic and environmental goals