In the last ten years, Serbia has become a significant exporter of cucumbers, especially gherkins, to the countries of the European market. Several thousand small farmers participate in the production, and growing cucumbers is currently proving to be the most profitable agricultural production in the country.
Gherkins require a lot of sunlight. But due to the drought this year, cultivation has relied on irrigation systems. The Mišković family from Kikinda has been growing cucumbers for three years. This particular season, they achieved a yield of 12 kilograms of fruit per square meter, which is an extremely good result. Due to the high temperatures, the irrigation system was in operation for five or six hours a day, which was hard to maintain the plants in heatstrokes.
Cultivating cucumbers is profitable, but requires work
One of the advantages of growing cucumbers is that you don’t need large areas for a successful income, and the purchase is guaranteed. Farmers like Dragan Vukobrat from Kikinda point out that a small area can generate significant income.
In the Čačan region, more than 400 households earn a secure income thanks to the cultivation of cucumbers, while in some villages in Vranje, gherkins have been cultivated for more than three decades. Harvesting takes weeks, but hiring workers pays off.
According to Nenad Trajković from Donji Vrtogoš near Vranje, prices for cucumbers vary: the first class costs 135 dinars, the second 90 dinars, while the third is 30 dinars. He emphasizes that there is little difference between the first and second class, while the difference between the second and third class is much larger, which is not ideal.
Source: AgroTV Serbia
On Dušan Đorđević’s estate near Vranje, vegetables are grown in 15 greenhouses on a total of seven thousand square meters. Previously, it was grown outdoors, but now a sheltered area is used, which is safer and requires less investment, with a guaranteed purchase.
Vegetable production in Serbia covers about 90 thousand hectares. Last year, close to 130 tons of fresh and processed vegetables worth 180 million euros were exported. These data show the growth and importance of vegetable production in the Serbian agricultural economy.
Source: AgroPress
Source: boljazemlja.com
