Berry fruit market development in the Republic of Croatia

Cilj ovog rada bio je prikazati stvarno stanje sektora bobičastog voća u RH , naglasiti glavna ograničenja njegovog razvoja te ukazati na potencijalna rješenja koja bi rezultirala poboljšanjem. Hrvatska nije samodostatna u proizvodnji ne samo bobičastog, nego većine voća što je rezultiralo nerazvijenošću prerađivačke industrije i prevelikim uvozom bobičastog i ostalog voća. Nekontrolirani uvoz u sektoru bobičastog voća domaćim proizvođačima ruši otkupne cijene te im uz velike troškove proizvodnje čini proizvodnju ekonomski neisplativom. Preveliki uvoz bi se mogao ograničiti povećanjem kontrola kvalitete uvezenog voća u Hrvatsku. Velika konsolidacija maloprodaje je dovela do nepovoljne situacije proizvođača u opskrbnom lancu gdje supermarketi diktiraju otkupnu cijenu, a proizvođači su prisiljeni prilagođavati se nepovoljnim tržišnim uvjetima. Razvoj sektora bobičastog voća u Hrvatskoj bi se trebao potaknuti poboljšanjima kao što su uvođenje novih vrsta i kultivara bobičastog voća, kvalitetno upravljanje opskrbnim lancem, stjecanje novih znanja, investiranje u tehnologiju te ostalim investicijama.The goal of this thesis was to show the realistic state of berry fruit sector in Republic of Croatia, emphasize main limitations of it’s development and to point out potential solutions which would result with improvement. Croatia is not self-sufficient in the production of not only berries, but most fruits which resulted with underdevelopment of the processing industry and the excessive import of berries and other fruits. The berry fruit sector is suffering from the uncontrolled importation of fruits and vegetables, which lowers the purchasing prices of domestic producers and with high production costs makes production economically unprofitable. Excessive import of fruit into Croatia could be limited by increasing the quality control of imported fruit. Big consolidation of retail has led to an unfavorable situation for producers in the supply chain where supermarkets dictate the purchase price and producers are forced to adapt to unfavorable market conditions. Future berry production development should be encouraged by measures such as bringing of new kinds and cultivars of berry fruit, acquiring new knowledge, quality supply chain management, investing in production technology such as greenhouse technology and other investments