Serbia on its way to a sustainable, deforestation-free soybean supply chain

Serbia is a major European producer of soybeans, having nearly doubled its cultivation area in the last decade and becoming the continent's fourth largest producer. The country's production is primarily for EU export, benefiting from the market's higher prices due to its GMO-free status. As the EU plans to implement the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), focusing on sustainable and deforestation-free soy, Serbia is taking steps to comply through an IT solution and forming a working group. The Donau Soja Organisation is aiding in awareness and compliance among Serbia's small-scale farmers. The article highlights the potential challenges and opportunities these developments present for the European soy supply chain.

Nestled in the heart of the Western Balkans and right on the EU’s doorstep, Serbia has a long tradition in agriculture and food production. The country makes up for more than half of the regional output of wheat, corn, barley, sugar beet and soybeans. Particularly the latter has become a crop of choice for many farmers as public interest in plant-based proteins has been on the rise, resulting in increased demand and prices for soy. As a result, soy production has become more profitable over the years. The land area dedicated to soybean cultivation in Serbia almost doubled in the last ten years, from 131,000 hectares in 2005 to 237,000 in 2021. Even though yields remain highly dependent on weather conditions, they have gradually increased as well, with Serbia averaging around 500,000 – 600,000 tons of soy production on an annual basis, making Serbia the 4th largest soybean producer in Europe after Russia, Ukraine, and Italy, respectively. Table 1. Harvest figures of the most ...