We all know that Serbia is the largest exporter of raspberries in the world, at least that’s what we’ve always been told. But is that still true? In recent years, Serbian farmers and raspberry producers have had many problems, and the challenges are still not abating. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the Serbian raspberry has a good position on the world market.
Does Serbia still hold the title of the largest exporter of raspberries in the world?
Raspberry is a valuable product because it belongs to the types of fruit that, in terms of quantity, are produced the least in the world – only about 400,000 tons are on the market annually. By way of comparison, for bananas this figure is somewhere around 130 million tons.
Serbian raspberries have long been known as high-quality, and especially the Vilamet and Miker varieties stand out, which make up the largest share of production.
Raspberries are mostly grown here in Western Serbia, on small farms – the municipalities of Arilje, Guča, Kosjerić, Ivanjica, Mionica, Krupanj, Valjevo, Brus, and Bajina Bašta stand out.
Production and export have been in decline for several years, but despite numerous challenges, Serbia is still listed among the world’s best raspberry exporters.
Our biggest competitors in production are Poland, Chile, and Russia – but Russia produces only for its own market, and is not a competitor in terms of exports.
That is why it can be said that we are in the top 3 with Poland and Chile. Mexico is also there somewhere, and because of this country we occasionally drop to fourth place.
From year to year, which country is in the first place changes, and it mainly depends on the success of the season, to which climatic factors contribute the most.
Where do we export the most?
Serbia exports raspberries to over 50 countries. As for Europe, it is clear that our biggest competitor is Poland, especially when it comes to exports to the markets of Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, and France. Germany absorbs about one third of our total exports, and is the largest importer of raspberries in the world.
However, the share of Serbian raspberries on the German market is decreasing, and this is not because of Poland (which imports more raspberries than us into this country), but because of the increase in the import of raspberries from Ukraine, which is cheaper (although the export price of Serbian raspberries is not particularly high). .
We export significantly smaller quantities to France compared to Germany, but Serbian raspberries make up the largest part of French raspberry imports – more than 30 percent. The third largest market for our raspberries is Belgium, and in fourth place is Great Britain, for which we are also the largest importer.
Oscillations in exports
Although the Serbian raspberry still holds its own on the world market, the fact that imports to key countries have been steadily declining in recent years is worrying. This is partly due to reduced demand in Western Europe, where raspberry sales in supermarkets fell by almost a third between 2020 and 2022.
From 2019 to 2023, Serbia exported an average of 98,000 tons of frozen raspberries per year, but the figures were not the same every year, showing a decline in exports. The highest export was in 2019, when it reached more than 114,000 tons, while in 2022 it fell to 68,000 tons. In 2023, the export was about 72,000 tons.
The current situation in the production and export of raspberries
Raspberry exports are in decline, and the conditions in which raspberry growers work are nowhere near good. The main problems they face are the lack of seasonal labor, the poor purchase price of raspberries and high production costs.
Malinari, who organize protests almost every year, are struggling with significant increases in fuel, fertilizer and pesticide prices due to global inflation. The purchase price of raspberries is so low that it does not cover costs, which is why many remain without profit.
The situation is worsened by increased competition from Chile, Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where raspberry production is increasing. In order for raspberry growers to make a profit, the purchase price would have to be at least 350 dinars per kilogram, in order to cover production costs and pay the pickers.
How did Valjevo lose the title of leader in raspberry production?
Another important factor affecting the poor yield of raspberries is climate change. Unusually warm winters and springs, long dry periods and late frosts are a serious problem. This year, the April frost destroyed the first and part of the second crop.
The hail, which caused great damage from Valjevo to Ivanjica, also affected the crop. The consequences of these disasters will be visible next year as well, because new shoots have been destroyed.
Less and less will be planted
According to official statistics, raspberries are grown on 18,625 hectares in Serbia, and the average yield is about five tons per hectare, which would mean a production of slightly more than 94,000 tons.
However, the Association of Raspberry Growers of Serbia claims that these figures are in reality much less and that raspberries are actually grown on only 14,000 hectares, and that next year it will be even less, primarily because of the agreed price of 250 dinars per kilogram.
How can we recover raspberry farming?
Climatic challenges will be even more difficult next year, and most raspberry growers believe that should invest in irrigation systemsbut also more resistant raspberry varieties. It is also necessary to improve infrastructural capacities such as cold stores and processing plants.
Serbian exporters could devote themselves to diversifying the market, but also branding of Serbian raspberries as high qualitywhich could achieve a better export price. However, all this will not be enough if the state does not decide to help raspberry growers.
Measures to reduce production costs that could help include subsidies for pesticides and fuel, as well as easier access to credit for small and medium-sized farmers.
Source: The new economy
Source: www.agromedia.rs
