ECOLOGICA, Vol.

31, No 113 (2024), 25-34

https://doi.org/10.18485/ecologica.2024.31.113.4
Originalni naučni rad
UDC: 631.147(497)

Opportunities for the development of organic agriculture in the

countries of the Western Balkans

Mogućnosti razvoja organske poljoprivrede u zemljama Zapadnog

Balkana

Aleksandra Stojkov Pavlović1*, Larisa Jovanović2

1,2Alfa
BK University, Bulevar marsala Tolbuhina 8, Belgrade, Serbia /
Alfa BK Univerzitet, Bulevar maršala Tolbuhina 8, Beograd, Srbija
* Corresponding author / Autor za prepisku
Received / Rad primljen: 18.01.2024, Accepted / Rad prihvaćen: 27.02.2024.

Abstract: Bioeconomy and ecology are indivisible, but investors are not always interested in the humane aspects
of the economy, i.e. organic agriculture, however organic agriculture in Western Balkans is growing. This case study
presents the results for selected countries: Serbia, Bulgaria (EU), Croatia (EU) and Montenegro. The goal of this
work is to investigate perspectives of organic agriculture development and certification. In first section, is analyzed
the present time situation in organic production and certification. In section two are presented results on growing of
organic agriculture land and organic shares.
Keywords: Organic Production, Green Economy, Comparative Analysis, Western Balkans, Certification.

Sažetak: Bioekonomija i ekologija su nedeljive, ali investiture ne zanimaju uvek humani aspekti privrede, odnosno
organska poljoprivreda, međutim organska poljoprivreda na Zapadnom Balkanu raste. Ova studija slučaja
predstavlja rezultate za odabrane zemlje: Srbiju, Bugarsku (EU), Hrvatsku (EU) i Crnu Goru. Cilj ovog rada je da se
istraže perspektive razvoja organske poljoprivrede i sertifikacija. U prvom delu, analizirana je trenutna situacija u
organskoj proizvodnji i sertifikacija. U drugom delu su predstavljeni rezultati rasta organskog zemljišta i udeo
organske proizvodnje.
Ključne reči: Organska poljoprivreda, zalena ekonomija, komparativna analiza, Zapadni Balkan, sertifikacija.

1orcid.org/0009-0007-5825-159X, e-mail: [email protected]

2
orcid.org/0000-0002-1840-819X, e-mail: [email protected]

INTRODUCTION Also, it implies production in accordance with the law

Organic agriculture contributes preservation of and standards defined conditions with control of the
natural resources, primarily water and soil. it is entire production cycle by an authorized organ-
consistent with bioeconomy activities because it ization for certification. The development of organic
supports the use of available resources and it sub- agriculture: provides assistance in the preservation
ordinates economic growth to this goal. Organic of the human environment and in this sense leaves
agriculture represents a system of sustainable an enviable legacy for future generations, it contrib-
agriculture, largely based on local resources, which utes to more proper nutrition of the population and
maintains ecological balance and minimizes the the preservation of human health, it contributes to
negative impact of agriculture on the environment. the development of rural communities and the red-

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A. STOJKOV PAVLOVIĆ, L. JOVANOVIĆ OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ...

uction of negative demographic trends. In current 1. MATERIALS AND METHODS

conditions of man-made transformation of nature, The starting point of the research is the anal-
the principle adequacy of the materials and techn- ytical method, which extracted components such as
ologies used to productivity and resources of the the number of organic producers, processors, data
biosphere is of cardinal importance (Ermakov, Jov- on regulation and labeling, shares of organic prod-
anović, 2023). In organic agriculture development, uction, etc. through indicators of FiBL & IFOAM –
one of the main factors is the soil condition. Future Organics International (2023): The World of Organic
solutions are also found in the organization of an Agriculture (Willer et al., 2023), also involved official
organic agricultural systems with competitive prod- statistical data and consulted number of scientific
uctivity. Organic production is a very specific type of and professional articles and studies turned to
agriculture, basically the opposite of conventional organic agriculture. These data were systematized
agriculture, given that it is strongly ecologically ori- for each country and then, using the method of
ented, expresses concern for the preservation of the comparative analysis, comparisons of character-
environment, natural resources and biological div- istics and mutual relations were made By continuing
ersity, emphasizes the use of natural materials and the research, we used a synthesis. The positions of
respect for the biological processes of plant growth all analyzed states to observed filed have been
and development and animals raised as part of determined.
agricultural activity (Ristić et al., 2023). Challenges
2. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
facing agriculture and food production look huge
(Janković et al., 2023). Future solutions are found in Certification of organic production enables
the organization of organic agricultural systems with countries to develop the sector. While Bulgaria and
competitive productivity. It is generally known that Croatia, in addition to national regulations on org-
producers that use modern strategies can play an anic agriculture, fully implement mandatory EU reg-
important role in solving environmental problems ulations – European Union of Regulation 848/2018
(Čajka, Jovanović, 2014). Contemporary aspirations (EU Reg), Serbia and Montenegro has introduced
in agriculture inevitably imply the development of an regulations at the national level which are fully
ever-increasing share of organic agriculture in total implemented regulation on organic agriculture.
agricultural production and a management in a way Authors Agapiova-Aliosman & Dirimanova emph-
that will ensure precaution and responsibility in order asizes a clear policy, goals and management strat-
to protect the health and well-being of current and egies are needed in the organic and agricultural
future generations and the environment (Willer et al., sector in Bulgaria (Agapieva-Aliosman, Dirimanova,
2023). 2021), main domestic regulative in Bulgaria is based
on National Plan for Development of Organic
Organic sector of production in Serbia is under
Farming in Bulgaria 2007-2013 (Bulgarian Ministry
development. As a developing country Serbia could
of Agriculture Food and Forestry, 2013) (which is
spot an opportunity for agricultural development.
outdated) but nowdays all efforts are to use Eur-
Agricultural and food products represent the basis of opean regulations and private standards. Croatia
population’s nutrition (Dašić et al., 2022). The prod- has withdrawn its law and also uses EU regulations
uction of food products exclusively from ingredients from 2013. All countries have a system of domestic
that are not harmful to the health of consumers is the and/or international regulations (Table 1).
surest guarantee of food health safety (Jovanović et
All selected countries in this case-study have
al., 2007). Main task of the agricultural production is
established an official labeling system as it shows
to provide sufficent amounts of food for the popul- Table 2 for certified organic products, which is
ation (Vlahović, 2015), but in order to ensure safety implemented through the marking of products that
and the future of nutrition, it is necessary to take meet the requirements. Labeling is important on the
mesures that prevent further degradation of fertil market of organic products because it separates
soil. Apart from the quality and volume of production, products resulting from the use of organic
certification also plays an important role. Bulgaria production practices that foster and preserve natural
and Croatia, as EU members, have implemented balance. Bulgaria and Croatia have a domestic mark
and use EU regulations, while Serbia and Monte- of organic production, but also use one that is
negro, which are candidates for membership in common to EU regulations, while Serbia and
terms of certification, have their own regulations. Montenegro use domestic product labeling systems.

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Table 1 - System of legal frameworks in organic production in selected countries

International legal
Country Domestic legal framework Relevant authority In use
framework
Ministry of
Law on organic production,
agriculture, forestry -
Serbia Official Gazette of Republic of Domestic
and water
Serbia, 30/2010 & 17/2019
management
Eu Reg
National Plan for Delopment Bulgarian Ministry of
Action plan for organic
Bulgaria of Organic Farming in Agriculture, Food and International
production in the European
Bulgaria 2007-2013 (former) Forestry
Union 2021-2027
Eu Reg
Law on organic production
Republic of Croatia Action plan for organic
Croatia and labeling of organic International
Ministry of Agriculture production in the European
products (former) No139/2010
Union 2021- 2027
Ministry of
Law on Organic Production,
agriculture, forestry
Montenegro Official Gazette of - Domestic
and water
Montenegro, No. 56/2013
management
Source: Author‘s systematization

Table 2 - Official organic product symbols in selected countries

Country Official organic product symbols

Serbia

Bulgaria

Croatia

Montenegro

Source: Author‘s systematization

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Table 3 - Control bodies and control authorities in the organic sector in selected countries
Country Number of bodies and authorities Relevant authority
Serbia 6 ATS (Accreditation Body of Serbia)
Bulgaria 17 EC (European Commision)
Croatia 11 EC (European Commision)
Montenegro 1 Accreditation body of Montenegro
Source: Author‘s research

Control and certification of organic production in requirements, issued by the accreditation body that
the Republic of Serbia is carried out by authorized deals with the affairs of the Ministry of Agriculture and
control organizations. Authorized control organizati- Water Administration of Montenegro. The Monte-
ons are independent legal entities authorized by the organica certification body's compliance with the
competent Ministry to carry out control and certif- MEST EN ISO/IEC 17065:2013 standard is assessed
ication of organic production and accredited by ATS by the Accreditation Body of Montenegro.
(Accreditation Body of Serbia) (https://serbiaorga In the field of organic product types, according
nica). In Serbia in 2023 there are 6 such organizat- to authors research (Table 4), Serbia mainly has the
ions: Ecocert Balkan, Centar za ispitivanje namirnica, production of fruits, with a part of frozen, deep
Organic Control System, TMS Cee, Ecovivendi and frozen, dried and lyophilized fruit production 458
SGS. In the European Union, the control bodies are producers of which 149 are engaged in processing
under the supervision of the European Commission, too. The research data indicate that producers are
which maintains the data register, according to their currently focused on the following species: rasp-
report. Bulgaria has 17 control organizations: Balkan berries (from Arilje region), strawberries and berry
Biocert, Q Certification, CERES, Lacon, Control Uni- fruits, wild and forest strawberries, blackberries, wild
on Certifications, Bio Hellas, Ecogruppo Italia, Bio- blackberries, blueberries, apples, plums, rosehips
agrocert Italia Bulgaria, SGS Bulgaria, Bulgaro- and elder-flower and elderberries. Producers also
kontrola, Austria Bio Garantie, Agency for organic export vegetables, grain, legumes and oilseeds, as
certification, Makom Certification, Agro Organic well as honey and bee products. The production of
Control, Bio Certification and Nutramed. In Croatia organic meat is also under development, which is
operates 11 control organizations: Bioinspekt, Prva the case with the Bio Panon farm in the north of the
ekološka stanica, Zadruga Agribiocert, Biotechnicon, country (in Vojvodina) and similar farms that
Hrvatske šume, Trgo-invest, Austria Bio Garantie, produce organic meat (beef and chicken) and dairy
Bureau Veritas, Eurotalus, Eko Razvoj and Zavod za products. In serbia, cases of group organization of
javno zdravlje Dr. Andrija Štampar. There is only one production have been noticed. Associated product-
certification body in Montenegro. Monteorganica is an ion is important because it increases market opport-
accredited certification body for control and certific- unities for organic producers. Top 10 producers of
ation in organic agriculture according to the 2022 in cooperative production shows Table 4.

Table 4 - Producers in cooperative organic production with number of cooperants

Associate producer Number of cooperants Products
Zadrugar doo 763 Frozen fruits
Fortis doo 742 Fast frozen fruits
Frikos doo 577 Frozen and lyophilized fruit
Midi Organic doo 441 Fruits
Agrofrost doo 395 Raspberry
Menex doo 367 Berries and forest fruits
Nectar doo 274 Organic fruits for juices
Agro Domestica doo 224 Livestock production
Minar Frucht doo 180 Fruits, wild fruits, mushrooms
Jezdimirović doo 153 Frozen friuts
Source: Author‘s research

Bulgarian organic production is primarily based organic certification (Bulgarian Nuts Co., Bilbo
on honey and bee products: Acacia, Wildflower, Varna, Amerov Honey Ignatievo etc.), but Bulgarian
Lavender, Black Forest and Linden Honey with rose products are also represented (rose water, rose

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oil) and other aromatic plants. In addition, organic local market requirements. There is no good
seeds and cereals (sunflower, flax, spelled) are practice of the association of small producers as in
produced in Bulgaria. Croatia or Serbia. Vegetables (potatoes, beets,
In Croatia, there are farms that produce several carrots), fruits and forest fruits (apples, plums, ar-
types of grains and vegetables (for example, Zrno onia, pears, blueberries), then figs and pome-
Eko Imanje Dubrava near Zagreb), which has 60 granates (local potential), honey, cereals as well as
vegetable, field and spice crops in its production, but lambs and sheep are grown. According to the data
the main product is certainly organic olive oil, for of the certification body Monteorganica for 2021
which the coast of the Adriatic Sea (example Terra production is based on vegetable with 424 prod-
Rossa from Sveta Katarina) is known, as well ucers, of which 371 produce fruit, 63 agricultural
islands. An interesting example is also the “Šolt- crops and medicinal plants, 10 vegetable crops, a 3
ansko super organic” olive oil, which was awarded producers collect forest fruits and medicinal herbs.
in Tokyo, New York and Dubai. Olive oil under a Livestock production is engaged in 64 producers, of
unique name is produced by small local producers which 56 have beehives. 27 deals with the proc-
from the island Šolta. essing of organic products manufacturer, from which
In Montenegro an important feature of current stand out: IN-SPE is the organic producer in reg-
organic production is that it is fragmented. Organic arding the collection of wild plants and production
production is quite scattered and diverse and organic tea and the largest farm in Montenegro is
producers of small quantities are characteristic such HM Durmitor (Izveštaj o organskoj poljoprivredi,
as individual agricultural holdings that mostly cover 2022).

Table 5 - Comparative analysis of organic products and producers production in selected countries
Country Enterprise Products
Minex, Kruševac Frozen fruit and forest products
Master food, Užice Strawberry and other berries
Serbia
Medino, Krnjevo Honey and bee products
Yugotrejd, Arilje Raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, plum and cherry
Adan Village, Damovitsa Seeds and grains (sunflower, flax, spelt)
Mountin Rose, Sofia Rose and aromatic plants
Bulgaria
Amerov Honey, Ignatievo Honey products
Bilbo, Varna Honey products
Terra Rossa, Sv. Katarina Olive oil
Croatia Zrno Eko Imanje, Dubrava 60 vegetable, arable and spicy crops
Šolta group of producers Šoltansko super premium olive oil
Pavlićević Zoran, Žabljak Potatoes, Cabbage, Beetroot, Carrot, Onion, Garlic,
Macanović Željko, Pljevlja Oats, Rye, Barley, Buckwheat
Mugoša Igor, Podgorica Spelled, Barley, Buckwheat, Rye and flour
Božović Vučidar, Berane Wild pomegranate, Fig
Montenegro
Kolašinac Muhamed, Plav Plum, Apple
Vučetić Miladin, Pljevlja Honey
IN-SPE Aromatic Herbs
HM Durmitor Lambs, sheeps
Source: Author’s research

In 2023, Serbia established a digital register of to compensation from state incentives is exercised.
agricultural holdings through the eAgrar platform. In the organic production, incentives are realized in
The aim of establishing the Register and digital plat- three categories: incentives for plant production, inc-
form is to improve agricultural production in the entives for organic livestock production and incent-
Republic of Serbia so that it is productive, rich and ives for certification. All incentives can be realized
respected, and competitive on the EU and social by registration and request on the eAgrar software
markets (Radičić, 2022). Farmers, entrepreneurs platform.
and legal entities – can be registered in the Register. In accordance with Rule Book on the conditions
Enrollment is voluntary, free of charge and not bo- and method of exercising the right to incentives for
und by a deadline and represents the first step in organic crops production organic production is the
realizing the right to incentives from the budget of production of agricultural and other products that
the Republic of Serbia. Within the registry, the E- based on the application of organic production meth-
incentives section functions through which the right ods in all stages of production, which includes the

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use of genetically modified organisms and the prod- Bulgaria’s CAP Strategic Plan has been sub-
ucts contained therein or are obtained from gen- mitted in 2021, for period 2023-2027. The actual
etically modified organisms, as well as the use of version of the strategic plan includes two eco-
ionizing radiation. Incentives for organic plant prod- schemes for organic maintenance payments in the
uction amount to 63,000 dinars per hectare, and first pillar: one for organic crops (one rate per ha
agricultural holdings can apply for a maximum of 20 whatever the type of crop) and one organic grazing
hectares of arable land. The highest total amount of animals (payments per animal unit whatever of the
incentive that the beneficiary of the incentive can type of animal). In the second pillar, one intervention
achieve in one per calendar year is 1,260,000 din- ‘organic farming’ is planned with two sub-interv-
ars. Exceptionally in 2023, incentives for organic entions: one for the transition to organic and one for
plant production are created for areas under organic the maintenance of organic. There are payment for
plant production are determined in the amount that crops, grazing animals, pigs (new support) and
is increased in the corresponding percentage amo- bee’s families. The division of plants into 25 crop
unt in relation to amount for financial contribution for groups is new. The payment rate for plants is divided
basic incentives in plant production and recourse for into 3 parts: basic payment, supplement for proven
fuel prescribed by a special regulation regulating production of at least 70% of the national average,
financial giving Agricultural farms for the agricultural supplement for the use of organic seeds and
production of plant crops in 2023, in accordance with planting material. Farmers who claim support for
the law regulating incentives in agricultural and rural maintaining organic production as an eco-scheme
areas development and a special regulation govern- under the first pillar cannot claim the first component
ing the distribution of incentives in agriculture and (basic payment) of the intervention under the sec-
rural development (www.minpolj.gov.rs). ond pillar. Another new feature is the introduction of
Incentives for organic livestock for 2023, accord- a regressive rate for each of the crop groups, with
ing to Rule Book on the conditions and method of 100% paid up to 50 ha; 50% from 50 to 65 ha and
exercising the right to incentives for organic live- 10% over 65 ha. The regressive rate will not apply
stock production include: premium incentives for to grassland, pastures, and forage crops. The dev-
milk produced using organic production methods; elopment of organic farming in Croatia mainly
incentives in organic livestock farming, namely for: consisted in the increase of organic pastures,
quality breeding dairy cows, quality breeding fatt- grassland, and orchards, and the organic vegetable
ening cows and bulls, cows for raising calves for production has not grown that much in the previous
fattening, quality fertile sheep and rams, goats and years. This is due to CAP payment model based on
goats, quality fruits and infertility, fattening kids, hectares. The budget set for organic farming under
fattening pigs, bee hives, heavy-type parental hens, the first pillar is EUR 1,750,000 million for the whole
light-type parental hens, parental turkeys, quality CAP period (2023-2027). Most of the eco-schemes
breeding queens of carp fish, quality breeding - representing EUR 93.4 million per year - will be
queens of trout fish production. Incentives for org- available to conventional farmers only. Payments for
anic livestock production are realized per unit, maintenance of/conversion to organic farming will
not be compatible with eco-schemes because of the
according to Rulebook. The maximum total amount
double funding issue. Moreover, criteria for eco-
of incentive that the beneficiary of the incentive can
schemes are very low and do not incentivize pract-
achieve for one calendar year in accordance with
ices with high environmental benefits. Organic farm-
this Rule Book is 55,000,000 dinars.
ing will lack of comparative advantage given conv-
Incentives for certification cover certification entional farming will have a higher remuneration
costs, including laboratory analyses, are reimbursed given they can accumulate more payments
to organic producers by 50% or 65% for producers schemes (IFOAM, 2023).
who are registered in areas with difficult working
Montenegro grants state incentives (2023) in the
conditions in agriculture, in relation to the total costs.
field of organic production for the following
The maximum amount per user is 1,000,000 dinars (https://www.gov.me/clanak):
(www.minpolj.gov.rs).
Agricultural producers can receive support per
The situation in Bulgaria and Croatia with inc- hectare (ha) of production area, conditional head of
entives must be considered within the Eco-schemes livestock, poultry and number of bee colonies, which
are payment schemes in agriculture aiming at the are registered in the Register of entities in organic
protection of environment and climate. They are a production within the framework of organic prod-
key element of the Common agricultural policy uction. Producers who for the first time sign an
(CAP) (see Article 31 of Regulation (EU) 2021/2115 Agreement on control and certification with an
of the European Parliament and of the Council. authorized control body for certification (producers

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who have been approved to enter the transition In addition to state incentives for the devel-
period) are obliged to sign the Agreement on the opment of organic production, there are also
allocation of support funds at the time of submitting international projects such as the Organic Bridge
the application, by which they undertake to remain INTERREG - IPA in cooperation with the EU impl-
in organic production at least three years, otherwise emented in Serbia and Croatia. The main objective
they will be obliged to return the entire amount of of the Organic Bridge project is to contribute to the
support received in previous years. The amount of improvement of competitiveness of the Osijek-
support per request cannot exceed EUR 20,000.00. Baranja County and South and North Bačka Districts
Payment in plant production for: perennial by developing organic products. The evaluation,
plantings - €450 per ha; field production - €300 per according to Evaluation (Impact assessment) of
ha, perennial fodder crops – €120 per ha (except in Interreg IPA Cross-border cooperation Programme
the year of crop establishment – €300 per ha); Croatia-Serbia 2014-2020 findings, these will serve
vegetable production – €380 per ha. as one of the bases for planning future policies for
the development of the Interreg IPA Programme
Payment in livestock production by: conditional Croatia – Serbia 2021-2027, as well as a tool for
head of cow and heifer – €120; conditional head of improving the quality of future Programme implem-
sheep and goats – €120; poultry - €2.5; bee colony entation (Interreg – IPA CBC, 2021).
- €40.
In Serbia, the organic sector has been devel-
Payment in organic production for producers oping more and more in recent years, with its
who perform the certification process for the first expansive growth, organic production will have its
time in the current year is more stimulating in more intensive application only in the coming period
Montenegro: organic plant production for perennial (Tripković et al., 2023). The production of healthy
plantings - €500 per ha; field production - €300 per food can be a postulate of satisfying existential
ha; perennial fodder crops 3– 120 € per ha (except needs, but also a factor of revitalization (Bojičić,
in the year of crop establishment – €300 per ha); Tripković, 2023), thus natural assets continue to
vegetable production - €400 per ha, apropos in provide environmental resources and services
livestock production by: conditional head of cow and (Pavićević, 2023). In 2020 the number of producers
heifer – €140; conditional head of sheep and goats was 439 and the latest data shows 651 producers in
– €140; poultry - €3; bee society - €45. 2022 (MAFWM, 2023). For Bulgaria, this sector is
Funds for the purchase of wax for organic prod- national priority (Shishkov, Kolev, 2014). The numb-
uction. Beekeepers must have at least 20 bee colon- er of producers in Bulgaria was 59942 in 2019.
ies and a maximum of 100. €20.40/kg is awarded for Organic production in Croatia is recognized as an
certified organic wax and the amount of wax is alloc- important sector and the number of organic prod-
ated proportionally to the number of bee colonies, ucers is growing. Montenegro shows no progress.
with a maximum of 0.5 kg of wax per bee colony. (Table 6).

Table 6 - Number of producers and other operator types by country (2021)

Country Producers Processors Importers Exporters Producers 2019-2020 Trend
Serbia 458 152 74 82 439 +19
Bulgaria 5942 249 22 2 5942 0
Croatia 6024 378 12 No data 5153 +871
Montenegro 422 25 No data 0 423 -1
Source: Author‘s systematization based on FiBL&IFOAM survey, 2023

When we compare areas of organic agricultural country, Bulgaria (2.3%) takes 52nd place, and
land in three top European countries: France Serbia with less than 1% (0.6%) takes 92nd place in
(2548677 ha), Spain (2437891 ha) and Italy the world scale. Ten-year development data are
(2095380 ha) with the situation in observed Balkan encouraging in all three countries: in Bulgaria the
countries, we can conclude that Bulgaria (116253 increase in organic agricultural land is 346.4%, in
Croatia 239%, and in Serbia 209.7%. Serbia's
ha) and Croatia (108610 ha) are among the coun-
noticeably weaker results may be a consequence of
tries with medium values, while Serbia (19317 ha)
the fact that it is not a member of the EU, like
and Montenegro (4404 ha) are still at the bottom of Bulgaria (member since 2007) and Croatia (member
the scale (Table 7). since 2011). Otherwise, оrganic share in total
Organic share in total agricultural land data agricultural land in Montenegro is 1.9%, while its
shows big efforts of Croatia (7.2%) as 27th world ten-years growth is 57,2%..

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Table 7 - Organic farming indicators data in Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro (2020)
Indicator Organic agricultural land Organic Agricultural land
Organic shares of total
(including in-conversion areas) development – 10-years growth
Country agricultural land, in %
in ha in %
Serbia 19317 0,6 209,7
Bulgaria 116253 2,3 364,6
Croatia 108610 7,2 239,0
Montenegro 4823 1,9 57,2
Source: Author‘s systematization based on FiBL & IFOAM – Organics International (2023)

After investigation of organic production indicat- Organic production in Serbia is rapidly growing
ors in selected countries, it is necessary to consider area of agriculture, by the collected data of relevant
the characteristics of the soil. institutions in Serbia, we can notice necessity of
Based on reasearches of Bašić (2013), Pavlović three important steps in organic agriculture impr-
et al. (2017), Shishkov&Kolev (2014) and Protić et ovement: investment to knowledge, education and
al. (2005) Serbia has diverse resources and soil of digitalization, modern legislative and conversion of
different taxonomies, which is why Serbia is close to lands from conventional to organic production cap-
Bulgaria in terms of the amount of chernozem and able lands. The application uses sensors to collect
fluvisol, unlike Croatia, which has less soil of that precise data on weather conditions and forecasts,
quality. Montenegro has areas of Cambisol, such as provides information on soil quality and plant growth
Serbia. Lower areas of Fluvisol are shown in Croatia density based on vegetation and soil maps, offers
and Montenegro. Croatia and Serbia have the num- suggestions for agrotechnical measures, monitors
erous deposits of lignite. Significant amounts of land diseases, insect infestations, etc. (Petrović et al.,
in Croatia and Serbia are not suitable for organic 2022).
production because of lignite, burnt down in coal In 2019 Ministry of Agriculture of Bulgaria
fired plants surface soils and polluted environment (MinAg) published its National Action Plan for Dev-
(air, water, soil) by ash with heavy metals and other elopment of Organic Production for 2020-2027.
phytotoxic elements. Disturbance and damage of MinAg emphasizes that the organics industry is a
land in Bulgaria is the result of coal and ore mining, national priority (USDA, 2023). When considering
and the extraction or quarrying of non-metal mineral the growth of the organic sector in the previous ten-
resources, like raw materials for the cement ind- year period of 364.6%, the number of 5942 organic
ustry, facing stone materials and building materials. producers and the significant number of organic
Mining industry provides more than 50% of used beehives (274000), it is clear that Bulgaria is making
energy in the country (Kirilov, Banov, 2016). A total efforts. Bulgaria has a rich production of organic
of 422 contaminated and potentially contaminated honey, but coal fired heating by lignite, especially,
localities have been identified in the Republic of devastates the soil. Croatia applies all the regulat-
Serbia. The largest share in the total number is that ions regarding organic food production and labell-
of public utility landfills with 43.13%, followed by ing, including the national label for organic food
industrial and commercial sites with 36.30% and (Labelling of Food and Animal Feed in Organic
industrial waste landfills with 10.43%. The largest Production Regulation, No 25/11).
share within the industry is that of the oil industry Certified organic food production in Croatia is
with 41.89%, followed by the chemical industry with considerably lower than in other EU member
14.41%, the metal industry with 11.71% of localities, countries (Gajdić et al., 2018), thus this research
a slightly smaller percentage are energy plants with confirms the differences between Croatia and Bulg-
8.57% and mines with 4.50% of localities. In aria. However, it must be taken into account organic
Montenegro, we found certain types of soil near share in total agricultural land with 7.2% in Croatia
polymetallic mines and lignite fields, smelters, fire (Bašić, 2013) and 2.3% in Bulgaria. Montenegro has
pit-heating plants, factories and other industrial negative trend in number of producers (-1) comp-
facilities can become phytotoxic and unsuitable for ared to the prvious period, total 422, but the data
organic production. Most of the soils in Montenegro show that share of 1.9% of total agricultural land is
have a shallow soil profile and low contents of higher than in Serbia (0.6%). Serbia has sufficient
nutrients (Vidojević et al., 2022). natural resources for the development of organic
Each country has its own specifics in terms of agriculture, but has not finance support for accept-
the use of its resources and the quality of land able technologies and means of production (Jova-
resources. nović, Stojkov Pavlović, 2023). In general, when it

32 ECOLOGICA, Vol. 31, No 113 (2024)

A. STOJKOV PAVLOVIĆ, L. JOVANOVIĆ OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT ...

comes to the number of producers, the trend is additional efforts in the regulatory mechanism of
positive in Serbia (+19) and Croatia (+871), there organic production.
are no changes in Bulgaria, while the trend is Bulgaria and Croatia are committed to the Action
negative in Montenegro. plan for organic production in the European Union
2021-2027 and CAP policy through their Eco-
CONCLUSION
Schemes. Serbia and Montenegro to harmonize
The development of organic agriculture in the future the regulations with the Action plan for organic
Western Balkans is connected with the processes in production in the European Union 2021-2027 and
the European Union, given that the countries of the they manage this sector based on practices of more
Western Balkans are also members of the European developed countries in this sector, such as Italy,
Union. This study presents results for two member while in such practice, despite the adopted EU reg-
states and two candidate countries. Organic agri- ulation, it is necessary for the members of Bulgaria
culture makes its contribution to the development of and Croatia to make further efforts.
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