Croatia has experienced a downturn in its domestic agricultural output this year. Dragan Kovačević, the Vice President of the Croatian Chamber of Economy for Agriculture and Tourism, highlighted the continuation of negative trends in the first quarter, with export growth almost at a halt, an 11 percent increase in imports, and a decrease in the import coverage by exports from 68 percent to 62 percent.
The foreign trade composition raises concerns, with 74 percent of the trade surplus coming from oilseeds and cereals, while there's a high dependency on importing meat, milk, fruits, and vegetables. Kovačević advocates for a reorientation in agricultural policy, emphasizing the need for strategic adjustments to the Common Agricultural Policy.
Preliminary estimates suggest a persistent decline, with domestic production of vegetables under 45 percent and fruit at around 35 percent, leading to significant import requirements. This trend positions Croatia as one of the EU's least self-sufficient members in agriculture.
Source: croatiaweek.com