The importance of bank credits for agricultural financing in Serbia

Agricultural loans present unutilized bank credit market segment in Serbia. This is not only missed profit opportunity for banks, but also serious deficiency that slows down the development of agriculture and rural areas. Paper uses FADN, NBS and bank balance sheet data in order to analyse supply and demand side of this credit market segment, with the aim to better understand the conditions for its development. Paper recommends better education of producers and lenders. Banks should better understand the requirements of agricultural producers and risks of the production to be able to create tailored credits. Insurance has very important role in specific risk hedging and can facilitate agricultural loans. There is also a need to adjust the conditions for obtaining subsidized loans, while the land size is considered as a key prerequisite for obtaining loans in the situation of large fragmentation of properties

Giant renal oncocytoma

Background. Renal onkocytoma is a distinctive benign tumor derived from epithelial cells of the distal renal tubules. These tumors are often clinically asymptomatic, diagnosed accidentally and difficult to distinguish from renal cell carcinoma. Case report. We presented a giant renal onkocytoma in a man aged 64, without any signs or symptoms of the urogenital system disorder. The preoperative diagnosis described the tumor mass of the right kidney, size 16 x 14 cm, and indicated a malignant tumor of kidney. The patient underwent radical nephrectomy. The tumor was encapsulated at the intersection with the characteristic central hyaline scar. Microscopically, it was built of uniform polygonal cells with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm. Immunohystochemiclly, tumor cells were immunoreactive to CK AE1/AE3 and CD 117, but showed negative immunoreactivity to CK 7, RCC marker and Vimentin. Conclusion. Giant renal oncocytomas are rare tumors with benign clinical course. As a rule, they are discovered by accident. Clinical differentiation from malignant tumors of the kidney is not possible. They are treated surgically, mainly by radical nephrectomy. A definitive diagnosis is made only by histopathological examination of tumors using immunohistochemical marker panels

Socio-economic and demographic profile of traditional and functional food consumers in Serbia

Consumer quantitative survey was performed on general population 18+ in Serbia at the end of September - begging of October 2010. The instrument used in this survey was a structured questionnaire. The stratified three-staged random representative sample is applied (N=516). Based on reported frequency of consumption two groups of consumers were identified: (1) conservative consumers who reported high level of traditional food consumption and simultaneously lower level of functional food consumption (NT=196); (2) innovators represented by the heavy functional food consumers who reported lower level of traditional food consumption (NF=60). A descriptive statistical analysis (parametric and nonparametric) was conducted with the aim to investigate all statistically significant differences between two consumers' group profiles. The so-called conservative consumers dominate over heavy functional food consumer group in our sample. The heavy traditional food consumers are older on average and more unemployed (as retired people are considered as unemployed) and exposed to social influences. 'Traditional food' in Serbia is perceived as home-made, tasty and healthy, with long heritage. Differences in age and education between two compared consumers groups indicate possible transition of diet pattern toward more frequent functional food consumption

Sustainable rural development and cross-border cooperation

The concept of sustainable rural development comprises three aspects - social, economical and ecological. They are supposed to act in synergy, but, at the same time, these aspects are supposed to be competitive. Agriculture, as a traditional activity of rural economy, contributes to the sustainable development of rural areas only if there is an adequate resources management. If not, there will be a significant degradation of rural environment. These are the reasons why sustainable agriculture development is emphasized since it maximizes productivity and minimizes negative effects on nature and human resources. In this context, one should observe the connection between agriculture and tourism existing in the EU, where the application of sustainable agricultural development concept produces external effects connected to biodiversity protection and environment in rural areas. These become a good foundation for the development of rural and ecotourism. EU enlargement induced diversification of support programmes that EU gives to the candidate countries, as well as to those who are just entering the process of stabilization and association to the EU. Through cross-border cooperation projects, many goals can be accomplished, among which aspiration for promotion of sustainable economical and social development in border regions is one of the leading. Knowing that these regions are usually passive and underdeveloped, the projects of cross-border cooperation could induce development of those activities in local economy, which could bring better living conditions and economic prosperity on the one hand, and protection of environment on the other. Examples of this kind of projects in Serbia can usually be found in rural and ecotourism development

Western Balkans consumers' attitudes toward food labeling

The main purpose of this study is to shed light on consumers' attitudes toward food labelling in the Western Balkans. Pioneering in this respect, we present the results obtained from a cross-national consumer survey on a random representative sample of 3085 respondents, i.e. at least 500 respondents per country included. The survey covered six Western Balkans countries (WBC), namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. Differences in consumers' attitudes toward food labels as well as in self-perceived level of information about food with health claims were tested according to a number of socio-demographic criteria, including gender, age, education, type of settlement and the country of the Western Balkans where the respondent lives. The variables were also included as independents in a binary logistic model to achieve better understanding of the factors that may influence consumers' confidence in the usefulness of health claims on product labels. The results showed that self-perceived level of information about functional food as well as consumers' attitudes toward food labelling are influencing factors of consumers' confidence in usefulness of health claims on product labels when making food choices. Based on the mentioned, we provide conclusions and implications for marketing managers, decision makers in public health and for further research

Qualitative research of motives, barriers and stereotypes in fruit consumption in Serbia

The study presented in this paper makes a constituent part of another study dedicated to the development of food consumer science in the Western Balkans. The paper presents a part of the most relevant findings that the authors have obtained and analyzed from thirty in-depth interviews conducted with fruit consumers in Serbia. Main motives and barriers for consumption of fruit among urban and rural as well as male and female respondents are explored and elaborated. Additionally, existence of particular stereotypes of fruit consumers and non-consumers revealed through implemented projective technique is also discussed in this paper. The findings presented support general theoretical knowledge obtained from various food consumer studies previously conducted in more developed economies

THE IMPORTANCE OF BANK CREDITS FOR AGRICULTURAL FINANCING IN SERBIA

Agricultural loans present unutilized bank credit market segment in Serbia. This is not only missed profit opportunity for banks, but also serious deficiency that slows down the development of agriculture and rural areas. Paper uses FADN, NBS and bank balance sheet data in order to analyse supply and demand side of this credit market segment, with the aim to better understand the conditions for its development. Paper recommends better education of producers and lenders. Banks should better understand the requirements of agricultural producers and risks of the production to be able to create tailored credits. Insurance has very important role in specific risk hedging and can facilitate agricultural loans. There is also a need to adjust the conditions for obtaining subsidized loans, while the land size is considered as a key prerequisite for obtaining loans in the situation of large fragmentation of properties

Traditional food and its implications for development of rural tourism in Serbia

Analysis is based on qualitative research. Two focus groups were conducted. Paper examines differences between urban and rural participants perception and image of traditional food and possible implications for rural tourism development. Analysis confrms positive image of traditional food both in rural and urban group. However, regarding perceptions several differences appear (in terms of variety, availability, home made or processed, quality control system and labeling) Authors argue that level of utilization of these concepts in further development of rural tourism will to a large extent depend on perceptions and image of fnal users of rural tourism services (urban population)