Economic development throughout the
Balkans rests on artisan goods, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and niche food products. The region will never compete with the world’s behemoths, including the USA, Brazil, the EU, and China, for a variety of reasons, including scalability, labor costs, subsidies, and mass production capacity. Products of high quality, however, have appeal to foreign markets in which a sizable number of consumers do not want mass produced goods or food from factory farms.
Serbia is one example of what could go right when a quality product, technology, and access to markets align. In Serbia’s case, raspberries reign supreme. The country is one of the world’s largest growers of the ruby colored fruit, which is rich in antioxidants, coveted for its tart and fragrant flavor, yet difficult to source because of its shelf life.
Raspberries grow well in the central and western regions of Serbia, but growers face several issues. Lack of bargaining power means many farmers have a difficult time selling their fruit at a
fair price. Geography makes the export of the berries beyond the Balkans difficult because of the berries’ short shelf life. Finally, farmers often lack the technology necessary to package their product in a way that guarantees the quality of the berries’ taste once they are off the vine.
Nevertheless, solutions are on the way. A USAID
project worked with one consortium of growers to improve packaging and refrigeration technology so that the berries could reach more points of sale--a huge step because fresh berries receive a higher price than frozen ones. Collectivization of more farmers, who generally till small plots of land, could continue to ensure that farmers receive an equitable price. And the processing of this fruit into jams and other food products could give Serbian raspberries more reach than simply selling the fruit fresh. One small
village even uses the fruit for therapeutic purposes--as in massage treatments. So at a time when fair trade beauty products are gaining traction among consumers, more possibilities exist for farmers who want more opportunities beyond selling boxes of fruit at local markets. For farmers in
Southeastern Europe, Serbian berries provide a model for how they can build wealth in the near future.
