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Despite favourable growing conditions, strawberry production in Croatia does not satisfy local market demand. Despite its high capital and labour input, out-of-season strawberry production has the potential to increase farm income and to provide new employment opportunities in rural areas. The aim of this study was to examine economic factors influencing the adoption of out-of-season strawberry production, and to present an economic analysis of different production systems for the Croatian strawberry industry. Budgeting methods and business analysis methods were used to compare different approaches for producing fruit out-of-season. The study involved six different combinations using two different cultivars, two types of plants, and two types of plastic mulch. Yield was the main factor that influenced revenue. Realized market prices were about Euro 3.53 per kilogram, and this price was constant during the selling period. Plants, mulch and labour represented the main cost factors. Preliminary results showed that cool-stored runner plants (A+) of the cultivar ‘ Raurica’ grown on white plastic mulch, produced acceptable economic results as perceived by farmers, although this was not the highest net income combination. Future steps will include implementing results that lead to more efficient production systems and higher returns to farmers.

Faced with fast changing environment, livestock epidemics and EU accession, risk management is of utmost importance for Croatian farmers. Insurance is risk management strategy which enables risk transfer from farmer to insurance company. It has a positive effect on income stabilization and consequently could lead to higher level of specialization, credit access and competitiveness. Nevertheless, livestock insurance is relatively unimportant on dairy farms. Reasons are twofold. Uncompleted requirements for risk to be insurable, adverse selection and moral hazard problems reflect on untoward premium rates. Demand for insurance, on the other hand, depends on the farm structure, access to other risk management instruments as well as dairy farmer’ s management capacities. The objective of the paper is to analyze risk management on dairy farms with focus on livestock insurance. Survey on 20 farmers in the Northwest Croatia has been made. Farmers’ risk perceptions, application and evaluation of risk management strategies were collected. Governmental insurance premium subsidy was also analyzed. Survey data were analysed by descriptive statistics while decision analysis toward livestock insurance with stohastic decision tree. European Union experiences with livestock insurance presented stand in creating suggestions for possible setting out of current constraints of livestock insurance in Croatia.

Problems in Croatian fishery that impacts on low competitiveness were well known even before harmonization process start. EU accession process put even addition emphasis on the mentioned problem. In fact, increasing competitiveness from equal situation for market participants is one of the basic functions of the EU regulation harmonization in the accession process. It is highly integrated market environment and extremely demanding due to high level of European market norms. Legal basis of the process, and at the same time criteria for Croatian legalization assessment, have been determined during screening phase - chapter 13 - fishery. Beside harmonization, changes are necessary in physical characteristics and spatial relationships, primary assuring area for fish discharge on the part of the front. It increases fishermen security, manipulation with a fish is easier, risk of contamination is low, control and compliances with the fish trade standards according to the EU standards and regulations are enabled. The paper aims to analyze national documents and acquis in fish trade (Common Market Organisation; Common Fishery Policy) and determine needs for harmonization between Croatian and EU laws and introduction of the CMO measures. The paper indicates necessary activities in harmonization of regulations and proposed institutional and administrative changes. Due to absence of regulation, changes in Croatian fishery sector will not be conducted properly and consequently it won’t have equal chances on the EU market. Therefore this subject needs to be included in governmental priorities with the objective to assure legal basis for adequate infrastructure and suprastructure. The results presented are a part of the research conducted during authors’ work on the Fishery infrastructure in accordance with EU acquis feasibility study.