The initiative, which was spearheaded by the Democratic Alliance of the Vojvodina Croats (DSHV), aims to bridge the gap between ethnic Croat farmers in Serbia’s Vojvodina province and companies in Croatia.
The project has already seen the Voćko farm cooperative, based in Tavankut, deliver around 300 tonnes of peppers and 100 tonnes of plums to Podravka. Voćko director Marijan Davčik expressed optimism about the partnership, praising Podravka as a reliable partner offering favourable conditions to the farmers involved in the deal. “This is a serious partnership, and the terms have been good for our farmers,” Davčik said.
The initiative, supported by DSHV leader Tomislav Žigmanov, is part of a larger effort to strengthen economic ties between ethnic Croat businesspeople in Serbia and Croatian companies. “If this cooperation proves successful, we will explore ways to make it a more permanent arrangement,” Žigmanov told Croatian-language media in Vojvodina. He also noted that while trade between Croatia and Serbia is substantial, the contribution of Croat producers from Serbia remains minimal. This project, he added, could offer tangible benefits to these farmers, elevating their role in cross-border commerce.
Although ethnic Croat entrepreneurs in Serbia represent a notable demographic, the scale of their operations and their business potential remain underexplored
Vojvodina’s Croatian-language media have pointed out the lack of comprehensive data on the number of ethnic Croat-owned businesses, what they produce, and the challenges they face. In 2021, the Subotica-based “Cro-fund” foundation began registering Croat businesses and farms to develop targeted aid and subsidy programmes aimed at fostering their growth.
According to 2021 data, more than 1,000 businesses in Serbia are owned by Croat entrepreneurs. The partnership between Podravka and Vojvodina’s ethnic Croat farmers represents a significant step in connecting these businesses with international markets, particularly Croatia, and may serve as a model for future cross-border economic cooperation.
