THE IMPORTANCE OF FINANCING COOPERATIVES AND ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRIBUSINESS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Abstract

The cooperation of economic subjects is of particular importance, especially in agriculture. Cooperatives have a special role in agricultural development, through horizontal and vertical integration and coordination of all participants in the agribusiness value chain. The problems of fragmented land, greater added value of products through processing, access to capital, production financing, etc. can be overcome by association. The association should follow the dominant agricultural production of a certain area, with an emphasis on healthy and safe food. The subject of the paper is an overview of the structure of agricultural holdings and the development of small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises in the regions of the Republic of Serbia, while the aim of the paper is to point out the importance of their association for the development of the entire agribusiness of the Republic of Serbia. Although the position of the cooperatives of the Republic of Serbia has improved in recent years due to more favorable and pronounced measures of support and financing, these measures must be constant and consistent, in order to reaffirm the still unfavorable situation and state of cooperatives.