Serbia’s agri-food value chain is seeing three key shifts: partners in Novi Sad discussed what “regenerative” should mean in Serbia and how to assess it credibly; the Ministry of Agriculture set the 2026 monitoring program for food of animal origin safety with expanded controls and budgeted lab testing; and Ahold Delhaize confirmed it has initiated ICSID arbitration linked to Serbia’s margin-limiting measures introduced in September 2025, highlighting how quickly regulation can reshape market conditions.
Beeld: Freepik
From field practice to policy: Serbia’s Regenerative Agriculture Alliance meets in Novi Sad
The Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture of Serbia, in co-organization with the Association of Balkan Eco-Innovation (ABE), held a closed meeting for its partners and collaborators in Novi Sad. The aim was to deepen connections across the network and exchange information, ideas, practices, and perspectives relevant to the Alliance’s work and the development of regenerative agriculture in Serbia. The discussion addressed what “regenerative agriculture” means in the Serbian context, the challenge of determining when production can credibly be considered regenerative, and how to advocate for wider uptake.
Over the past year, the Alliance has worked with farmers, experts, and institutions across the country to make regenerative agriculture practical on the ground. Its network expanded to include the Environmental Movement of Vrbas, the Seed Association of Serbia, the Soil Institute in Belgrade, and the Takovo Berry cooperative as a new demonstration farm strengthening links between science, farm practice, and public advocacy focused on soil health. Two Field Days in 2025 brought the conversation to real-world examples: one in Torak (Teodor Baloš’s farm) focused on arable production, the economics of transition, and the long-term effects of minimum tillage and preserving organic matter; the other, held in Takovo Berry’s orchard, focused on soil health, soil analysis, and microbiological balance, reinforcing the message that regenerative agriculture is a workable production approach. The Alliance also hosted two expert workshops to openly discuss costs, risks, and realistic timelines, while continuing to publish practical materials like on cover crops, non-tillage, adapting existing machinery, and strip cropping systems as a practice that supports soil health and biodiversity.
The LAN Belgrade team attended to connect with leading regenerative producers and relevant research institutes, and to take stock of where regenerative agriculture in Serbia stands today. A key objective was to better understand how Dutch agrotech solutions and knowledge could support tangible on-farm results and contribute to a better balance between agricultural production and nature. The meeting was particularly informative on (dis)advantages of potential approaches to a certification system, the question of formal recognition of regenerative agriculture within Serbia’s legislative framework, and expectations around access to subsidies, incentives, or bank financing.
Beeld: Illustration D.R.
2026 Food Safety Monitoring Program: EUR 600.00 for controls of food of animal origin
Serbia’s Ministry of Agriculture has adopted a Rulebook setting the 2026 Monitoring Program for the safety of food of animal origin, one of the main mechanisms for checking quality and health safety on the domestic market. The program targets contaminants, meaning chemicals not intentionally added to food but potentially entering products through production, packaging, transport, storage, or the environment. It also defines microbiological criteria used to judge whether products and batches are acceptable, based on the presence of microorganisms and their toxins.
Monitoring covers food of animal origin produced in Serbia and is carried out across production, storage, distribution, and retail facilities. The Rulebook also extends controls to certain imported products, including mechanically separated meat, milk powder and whey powder, liquid egg products, fish and fishery products, and gelatin and collagen. The program is built on risk analysis and data on unsafe food from the domestic market, the region, and imports, alongside production and consumption volumes and previously identified non-compliances during official controls. It also uses information from the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). The goal is to establish contaminant levels, track trends in microorganisms and other harmful substances, and verify compliance with maximum permitted residue limits.
Funding is secured in the 2026 budget. Under subsidies to public non-financial enterprises and organizations, EUR 2,13 million are allocated in total, with EUR 600.00 dedicated to implementing the monitoring program itself - sampling, control, and laboratory analyses. Separately, the Directorate for National Laboratories plans around EUR 1,00 million for procurement of materials within laboratory diagnostics and control. If results exceed allowed values, the program prescribes follow-up measures, from additional sampling and bans on placing disputed food on the market to temporary or permanent facility closures, depending on risk and severity. Veterinary inspectors conduct field activities, while testing is performed by authorized laboratories and laboratories selected via a public call.
Beeld: Illustration by D.R.
Ahold Delhaize launches arbitration against Serbia over margin caps
Serbia’s retail and food value chain has entered a new phase of regulatory and legal uncertainty Ahold Delhaize confirmed in the media that it has initiated arbitration against Serbia at ICSID, invoking the bilateral investment protection treaty between the Netherlands and Serbia. The move follows regulatory measures introduced by the Serbian Government in September 2025, which, according to the company, include legal limits on retail margins, purchasing prices and supplier fees, alongside new supplier veto rights related to delisting products and reducing orders. Ahold Delhaize says these measures affect more than 85% of Delhaize Serbia’s revenues and that four months of implementation in 2025 resulted in significant losses, after a reported net profit margin of 4.4% in 2024.
For agrotech companies, the signal is not only about one retailer’s dispute, but about how rapidly the operating environment can change across pricing, procurement terms, and supplier relationships - factors that shape demand planning, investment timelines, and the business case for technology adoption in the supply chain. Ahold Delhaize states it has already closed 25 stores and suspended investments planned for 2026, citing consequences for employment, while also saying it sought months of dialogue with authorities before proceeding to arbitration and that no balanced solution was reached.
At the same time, Delhaize Serbia says it remains committed to the local market, continuing operations with more than 500 stores, supporting over 11,000 employees and their families, and maintaining long-standing partnerships with local suppliers, most of them Serbian companies. For agrotech providers working with growers, processors, and retailers, the takeaway is practical: in a market where policy interventions can reshape margins and procurement rules, resilience increasingly depends on transparency, predictability, and solutions that help partners manage costs and performance under tighter commercial constraints.