Status overview and prospects of olive growing in Croatia

Cilj rada bio je deskriptivno analizirati stanje proizvodnih i preradbenih kapaciteta hrvatskoga maslinarstva, tržište i potrošnju proizvoda od masline, vanjskotrgovinsku razmjenu, kao i institucionalni i zakonodavni okvir hrvatskoga maslinarstva. Temeljem analize stanja, pomoću SWOT analize identificirani su osnovni čimbenici koji utječu ili mogu utjecati na razvojnu perspektivu hrvatskoga maslinarstva u procesu pristupanja Europskoj uniji. Maslinarstvo u hrvatskom priobalju i na otocima ima veliko socijalno, gospodarsko i okolišno značenje, poglavito u kontekstu usporavanja depopulacije i gospodarske održivosti na ovim područjima. U posljednje vrijeme prisutan je povećani interes za ulaganje u proizvodnju i preradu maslina, modernizaciju i povećanje preradbenih kapaciteta te poboljšanje kvalitete maslinovog ulja. Unatoč ovom pozitivnom trendu u proizvodnji i preradi maslina, naše maslinarstvo karakterizira dominacija tradicionalnog načina uzgoja sa neredovitom rodnosti, neorganiziranost tržišta proizvoda od masline i uvozna ovisnost. Rezultati SWOT analize pokazuju da strateške razvojne aktivnosti hrvatskoga maslinarstva treba usmjeriti tako da maksimalno iskoriste povećano zanimanje za ulaganje u proizvodnju i preradu maslina, kao i postojeću institucijsku podršku maslinarstvu, uz intenziviranje marketinških aktivnosti, kako bi se umanjila dominacija tradicionalnog načina uzgoja i uvozna ovisnost te ustrojila odgovarajuća poslovna i tržišna infrastruktura, čime bi se izbjegle prijetnje globalnog institucionalnog i tržišnog pritiska.The aim of the paper is a descriptive analysis of the situation in Croatian olive production and processing capacity, of the market and olive products consumption, of foreign trade exchange and of the institutional and legislative framework of Croatian olive growing. Based on the situation analysis, by means of SWOT analysis, the fundamentals are identified that make an impact or may make an impact on the developmental perspective of Croatian olive growing in the process of joining European Union. Olive growing on the Croatian coastal area and the islands is of great social, economic and environmental significance, particularly in the context of slowing down depopulation and of economic sustainability in the area. Recently there has been an increased interest in the investment in olive production and processing, modernisation and increase of processing capacities, and the improved quality of olive oil. Despite this positive trend in the production and processing of olives, our olive growing characterized by the dominant traditional cultivation method and alternating fertility, poorly organised market of olive products and dependence on imports. The SWOT analysis results show that strategic developmental activities of Croatian olive growing should be directed so as use to the maximum the increased interest in investment into olive production and processing, and to use the existing institutional support; they should also be directed towards intensifying the marketing activities; this would then minimise the domination of traditional cultivation method and dependence on imports, and constitute relevant business and market infrastructure, thus avoiding the threats of global institutionalised and market pressure