Expert Advice Promises Higher Yield for Serbian Agribusinesses
For agricultural producers and processors staying abreast of new technologies and market requirements is an essential prerequisite for attracting new buyers and producing value-added products. To encourage agricultural development in Serbia, USAID’s Agribusiness Project unites foreign companies and experts with Serbian agribusinesses and associations eager to learn.
Chile’s Rafael Godoy, renowned for inventing a technology that extends the period for keeping raspberries fresh for up to 14 days after harvest, visited Serbia this summer. He presented the advantages of his technology, demonstrated its implementation, and shared his experiences and best practices with representatives from Serbian companies and cooperatives engaged in the sale of fresh berries. Samples of fresh raspberries prepared during his visit were distributed to partners in Germany, England, and Russia, received the highest grades and a “green light” for regular shipments during the upcoming season.
Richard Dale, an established U.S. expert in the field of production and marketing of berry fruits, spoke to producers and cooperatives all over Serbia about ways to extend the growing season through greenhouse production and the introduction of various technologies. “We’ve assessed the strengths and weaknesses of raspberry production in Serbia and believe that Serbia has to tackle several challenges in order to remain competitive in this sector, some of the most important being a change of raspberry varieties, the introduction of mechanical raspberry harvesting, and the selling of fresh berries,” said Dale.
Jeffrey Spear, a leading American expert on design, strategic marketing and planning, met with Serbian food producers and facilitated a training session for representatives of 36 local agribusinesses and designers, organized jointly with the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Fruits of Serbia. Spear shared his experience, highlighting numerous positive examples and underscoring features of unsuccessful practices. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and request advice on their own marketing challenges.
USAID’s Agribusiness Project aims to increase sales and exports within six of Serbia’s agricultural sectors: fruits, vegetables, dairy, livestock, production of berry fruits and herbs, spices, and mushrooms. In cooperation with Serbian producers, the Project aims to boost productivity in agriculture, and to strengthen producer organizations and agribusiness service providers. It supports agribusinesses in their quest of expanding existing and entering new markets, and acquiring more buyers for their products and services.
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| Rafael Godoy impresses his Serbian counterparts with his innovative technology for keeping raspberries fresh. |
Richard Dale (right) with one of the few growers of American blueberries in Serbia, close to Arilje. |
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