Agronomy journal, Vol. 86 No. 4, 2024.
Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.33128/ag.86.4.3
Changes in the agrarian structure in the Republic of Croatia from 2013 to 2023
Matija Japundžić
orcid.org/0000-0002-2873-700X
; Sibinj, Hrvatska
*
Snježana Tolić
; Fakultet agrobiotehničkih znanosti Osijek, Sveučilište J. J. Strossmayera u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The paper analyses the change in the agricultural structure in the Republic of Croatia and identifies trends and patterns of the main changes from 2013 to 2023. According to ARKOD records, the results show slight positive changes in the agricultural structure, which can be attributed to an increase in the total agricultural area from 1,312,947 ha to 1,367,991 ha (an increase of 4.2%), an increase in the average size of an ARKOD plot from 0.75 ha to 0.85 ha, an increase in the size of the average agricultural holding from 6.83 ha to 7.63 ha and an unchanged number of 9 ARKOD plots per holding. In 2023, holdings up to 20 ha used 39.18% of the agricultural area, holdings from 20 to 100 ha 31.21%, and holdings with more than 100 ha 29.62%. Small producers with a size up to 20 ha account for 93.43% of all agricultural holdings, and the remaining 6.57% are holdings with a size of more than 20 ha, the number of which is constantly increasing. According to the records of the Register of Farmers, the number of the agricultural holdings is continuously decreasing due to the unfavourable demographic structure, which is characterised by a faster growth of the share of owners of older generations compared to the speed of young people entering agriculture. The high proportion of small holdings with predominantly older owners represents a brake on the faster development and modernisation of agriculture, which requires new policy adjustments to support the development of sustainable agricultural practises and maintain the rural population. These challenges require a strategic approach with the aim of achieving the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of the agricultural sector in Croatia.
Keywords
agrarian structure; agricultural holdings; agricultural land; demographic indicators
Hrčak ID:
326763
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2024.
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