Soybean cultivation in Serbia

Serbia is the largest producer of agricultural and food products in the Western Balkans. In the CEFTA region, Serbia provides at least half of the regional production of different agro products. Serbia’s strongest sub-sector is fruit production, but Serbian plantations also make up more than half of the regional output of corn, barley, sugar beet and soybeans. The COVID-19 pandemic raised the public's awareness of the food environments and the uptake of more healthy, plant-rich diets.

The dialogue on livestock farming in the EU is quite vivid and the debate heated up further as a coalition of NGOs urged EU executives to address the issue of reducing meat consumption in the announced Farm to Fork strategy. Plant-based protein became a hot topic not only for vegans but also for anyone whose dietary choices emphasize plant foods over animal food components. Soya will be among the main crops once the plant protein sector develops. As Serbia is, from a European perspective, a large producer of soybeans, intensified discussions regarding European protein production makes it interesting to have an insight in the Serbian soybean production.

GMO-Free country

Serbia is a country free from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO). It adopted a GMO Act in 2009. This law strictly forbids the import, production or commercial growing of GM crops. The Law also bans import of GMO related products like soybean meal produced from GM crops, which contributes to higher local feed prices. At the same time, there is no allowed system in place for non-GMO certification and labelling of local non-GMO products in Serbia, thus not making the difference visible between local produced non GMO food products and imported, significant quantities of meat, milk and other animal based products coming from GM fed animals. There is also no official system which would add value to the local production and distinguish from imported GM produced products. This makes local animal keepers which are using local non-GM feed less competitive on the market.

The GMO Law is not in conformity with the EU regulations nor with the rules of the World Trade Organization. In order to become a member of these two organizations, Serbia will need to adjust the current law. There were attempts to amend the Law in order to comply with the EU and WTO  standards, but strong political and public resistance made it impossible, Serbian consumers have a negative attitude towards biotech crops.

Research Institutes

There are two main scientific institutes in Serbia engaged in conducting research and developing new domestic varieties of field crops. The institutes have a 70% of market share when it comes to the use of their soya cultivars. Soya varieties of the these research institutes are very well adjusted to the climate conditions in Serbia thus their varieties are predominant in the local soya cultivation. Nevertheless more research is needed to breed more productive and resilient varieties. Several project activities with international partners are at the moment implemented and executed (Horizon 2020; FP7 project ; IPA projects etc.) aimed at increasing the efficiency and competitiveness of protein crop, forage legumes and soybeans.

• Institute for Field and Vegetable Crops,  Novi Sad
• Maize Research Institute, Zemun Polje

According to Ms Marija Kalentić, Executive Director of Donau Soja and Regional Director for Central & Eastern Europe, the main challenge for further improvement and support of domestic soya production is allowing Non-GM certification on domestic market. Non-GM certification and labeling could contribute to local agriculture and rural development through protection of local non-GM farmers and feed industry by creating non-GM market and better prices for farmers. Such certification would boost local economy development through creation of short, high quality value chains (integrated local soya processing on farms and non-GM livestock production). Also they are adding value to local agriculture and food sector (to provide possibilities to the local non-GM livestock farmers, feed and food industry to differentiate from cheaper import of meat, milk products, mostly GM fed) and make the market for consumers transparent and give them the possibility to choose non-GM quality.