engleski

Delphi methodology application in organic food sector in Croatia

The purpose of this paper was using Delphi method, to explore the dynamics of, and prospects for the development of the market for organic food in Croatia. The findings show that the market for organic products is still a niche market but with the expectations of growth. Organic production appears in the Croatia to answer to both traditional values still anchored in the culture (family agriculture and homemade food) and to western influences such as health and environmental concerns. The same changes occurred in Poland, which, like all the other countries that acceded EU in 2004 experienced in the last five years a large increase in the number of organic farms and land area that has been certified as organic due to the policy measures that support conversion from conventional to organic production (Zakowska-Biemans, 2011:123). Prior research concerning Croatian stakeholders with relation to organic food market development is very limited. Such information is valuable to food manufacturers and distributors to support developing marketing strategies to stimulate organic food market development in Croatia. The role of agriculture policy with regard to this field of action is to announce a clear and at-least mid-term political commitment towards organic farming. Consumer communication about food labeling and more specifically about organic food is an important task for food and public health policy. Action can be taken by means of communication campaigns, through different media. Policy should provide a clear and simple basis level of organic labeling that helps to get the basic message through to consumers. A limitation of this study is the small number of experts that was involved in research. The reason is that Croatia is a small country with poorly developed organic food production. We therefore recommend further research on the issue that takes into account the opinions of experts in other European countries.

Delphi methodology; Organic Food; Croatia

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