Profitability of livestock farms in Croatia

Abstract

Economic efficiency and competitiveness of the agricultural production is necessaiy condition in the integration processes. Efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability are difficult to estimate on the complex systems as family farms are. Based on the project „Farm Survey" and according to the EJJ methodology (standard gross margin), family farm typology in the Croatia is established. Objectives of the paper are to determine basic production and economic characteristics of the livestock farms and economic indicators for business analysis. For that purpose economic indicators (primary profitability) and descriptive statistics methods will be used. Preliminary results showed that livestock farms (general types grazing livestock and granivores) participate with 32% out of total (n=892 farms) and mixed livestock holdings with 23%. Significantly higher agricultural income was recorded in the specialist granivores type. In the general type grazing animals, deeper analysis is necessaiy because bigger variety of the results between regions as well as between family farms in the same region. Average agricultural income in the general type grazing animals was 3573.90€. In the principal types cattle-dairy, rearing and fattening and sheep, goats and other grazing animals income was 6669.60€ and 9581.10€ respectively. Specialist granivores in average earned 6200€ (the specialist poultry 10121.40€). On the mixed livestock holdings agricultural income was 4567.22€ without significant variation between principal types.