Comparative analysis of the competitiveness and sustainability of organic and conventional wheat production in Serbia

Dimitrijević, Bojan and Golijan Pantović, Jelena and Petrović, Mladen and Popović, Vera (2026) Comparative analysis of the competitiveness and sustainability of organic and conventional wheat production in Serbia. In: Book of Abstracts, 15th International Symposium on Agricultural Sciences "AgroReS 2026", 25-28 May 2026. University of Banja Luka, Faculty of Agriculture, Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, p. 146. ISBN 978-99976-84-08-0

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Abstract

In conventional production, wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) ranks behind maize in Serbia in terms of production volume and cultivated area, yet it plays a strategically crucial role due to its importance for human nutrition and national food security. In contrast, in organic production, wheat ranks first in both cultivated area and production volume, ahead of maize. Organic cereal production in Serbia is increasing but remains limited in scale. This study aims to evaluate the competitiveness and sustainability of organic and conventional wheat production through comparative production analysis and a SWOT approach. According to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, total conventional wheat production in 2025 was 3,681,000 tonnes on 607,075 hectares, with an average yield of 6.1 t/ha. In contrast, organic wheat is cultivated on 1,536.39 ha, representing only about 0.25% of the total agricultural land used for wheat. Yields of organic wheat are significantly lower, averaging 2.0–3.0 t/ha, while production costs are higher due to the need for certified seed, organic fertilizers, and mechanical weed control. The market price of organic wheat is 35–50% higher than that of conventional wheat, partially compensating for lower yields. The SWOT analysis indicates that the strengths of organic production include sustainability, access to export markets, and increasing demand, while the weaknesses involve limited scale, high costs, and administrative requirements. Opportunities include increased exports, development of new varieties, and improved subsidies, whereas the threats comprise climate change, competition from EU producers, and limited consumer trust. Conventional wheat is characterized by more stable yields, lower costs, and reliable income, but with lower added value and greater environmental impact. The results suggest that organic wheat production in Serbia has significant economic and ecological potential; however, to enhance competitiveness, improvements in yields, certification processes, market strategy, and farmer education are required.

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