CREDITS FOR SERBIAN AGRICULTURE IN THE TRANSITION PERIOD

The possibility for self-financing in agriculture is very small, primarily due to lower labour productivity leading to lower rate of surplus value. Therefore, in the development of Serbian agriculture, special importance is attached to other sources of financing such as: the Agrarian budget, i.e. credits of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management; credits of business banks; development funds; leasing companies. With the reconstruction of the Serbian banking system in 1994, the primary issue, as an important source for financing agriculture used primarily for current reproduction, was abandoned. Due to transition to a market economy system and cancellation of financing from the primary issue, economic entities in agriculture have found themselves in a very unfavourable position. Therefore, in 2004, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management started, for the first time, with lending credits to agricultural entities. The source of money is the Agrarian budget of Serbia. Besides this important source for financing agriculture, the paper also analyses other mentioned sources for lending credits to Serbian agricultural entities in the transition period, i.e. from 2004 to 2008.credit lending, agriculture, agricultural budget, transition, Agribusiness, Agricultural Finance, Community/Rural/Urban Development,

ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF FIELD CROP PRODUCTION ON FAMILY FARMS IN THE AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF VOJVODINA

Most of the field crop production of Serbia is located in the region of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. About 52% of the cereal-growing area and more than 92% of the industrial crop-growing area of Serbia are located in the Vojvodina Province. Corn, wheat, sunflower, soybean and sugar beet predominate in the sowing structure. The study focused on the economic efficiency of field crop production on family farms in Vojvodina during the period 2005-2009. The aim was to analyze family farms 6-20 ha in size oriented to the production of some major field crops. Although these farms accounted for only 16.4% of the total number of family farms in Vojvodina, they used about 45% of the total arable land. The survey method was used to sample the data on some major production parameters on the 50 family farms focused primarily on field crop production in Vojvodina during the five-year period (2005-2009). The data were used for calculation the gross margin for the field crops analyzed in order to determine the changes of the economic efficiency of the production of some major field crops

Sulforaphane—A Compound with Potential Health Benefits for Disease Prevention and Treatment: Insights from Pharmacological and Toxicological Experimental Studies

Sulforaphane (SFN), which is a hydrolysis product from glucoraphanin, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, has been studied for its potential health benefits, particularly in disease prevention and treatment. SFN has proven to be effective in combating different types of cancer by inhibiting the proliferation of tumors and triggering apoptosis. This dual action has been demonstrated to result in a reduction in tumor size and an enhancement of survival rates in animal models. SFN has also shown antidiabetic and anti-obesity effects, improving glucose tolerance and reducing fat accumulation. SFN’s ability to activate Nrf2, a transcription factor regulating oxidative stress and inflammation in cells, is a primary mechanism behind its anticancerogenic and antidiabetic effects. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties are also suggested to provide beneficial effects against neurodegenerative diseases. The potential health benefits of SFN have led to increased interest in its use as a dietary supplement or adjunct to chemotherapy, but there are insufficient data on its efficacy and optimal doses, as well as its safety. This review aims to present and discuss SFN’s potential in treating various diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on its mechanisms of action. It also summarizes studies on the pharmacological and toxicological potential of SFN in in vitro and animal models and explores its protective role against toxic compounds through in vitro and animal studies