Sociology and Space, No. 123-124, 1994.
Original scientific paper
Family farms in Croatia
Vlado Puljiz
Milan Župančić
Abstract
The article analyzes important trends and
conditions on family farms in Croatia. It
shows the number and structure of farms,
their population and labour force,
technical gear, and also touches some
aspects of the production, income and
consumption of rural households. In the
introduction the authors explain that
many data are lacking, statistical sources
are meagre, and there has been no
research into conditions and processes in
family agriculture. Without all this there
can be no analytical foundation for
developing an economic policy towards
agriculture and the village. An analysis of
changes in agriculture shows that most
family farms have little land, that the
work force is focused on non-agricultural
sources of income (the farms have only
22 per cent agricultural inhabitants), that
mechanization is poorly and irrationally
used, especially heavy machinery, and that
subsistence production predominates. The
authors indicate the need to redefine the
farm, proposing a bottom land limit of
0.5 hectare. This would decrease the
number of farms by 20 per cent, but
would clarify the picture of family
agriculture. Agrarian policy should turn
most attention to so-called vital farms
that have more land, use modern work
methods and are mostly tured to market
production.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
119803
URI
Publication date:
10.6.1994.
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