The paper examines differentiation business strategies in food production in Braničevo-Podunavlje region (Serbia). The research methodology includes survey research focused on the producers engaged in the production of value-added agricultural products, which have a greater potential for differentiation and branding. A range of survey indicators enable farmers and entrepreneurs of differentiated products to emphasize key success factors, detect barriers, and generate business ideas and innovations. Survey research was conducted in the period December 2018–January 2019, among 67 farmers, legal entities, and unincorporated enterprises−producers of high-quality niche food products in Braničevo–Podunavlje region. Results of the research indicated vegetable and fruit processing, beekeeping, and milk processing as sectors of the most promising value-added food products, including those that form the region’s basket of products. The study’s findings should contribute to the development of differentiated business models in the food sector and strengthening their role in smart regional development.

In many countries, rural areas are undergoing significant socio-demographic and economic changes, and this trend is also present in Serbia. From the economic and demographic point of view, and this is particularly true for southern Serbia, the problem of depopulation, ageing and extinction of the village has arisen. The subject of this paper is rural tourism in Serbia, which is observed in the context of the new channel for marketing agricultural products of rural households and analyzed by SWOT methodology in order to capture all strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and possible threats. Results show that one of the highest priorities is the synthesis of agriculture and tourism in Serbia, which would be the basis for the development of diversification in rural communities. The development and advancement of the rural environment represent a sustainable and stable regional economic development.

The analysis addresses the chosen sector particularities (the raspberry food chain in Serbia) in achieving the agribusiness development in terms of export orientation and competitiveness. Both public policies, including industrial one and business marketing strategies, can contribute overall goal - the sector development from local to globally recognized com­petitive system. Although Serbia is one of the leaders in raspberry pro­duction on global level, measured in terms of quantities, the food chain suffers from low quality of marketing channels. Substantial quantities of raspberries produced in Serbia are exported in frozen form. The projected sector development dynamics is also burdened by the fact that the plants in the country that are intended for processing raspberries are obsolete in terms of technology and faced with a lack of good quality human resources and loans. This especially applies to the accepted standards of production that have become an obstacle for further placement of Serbian raspberries in the European and world markets.

IPARD is the fifth component of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) of the European Union (EU) established in 2006. The implementation of IPARD Programme started in late 2009, and an in-depth analysis of its utilization is missing. Official annual reports on the implementation are available at the managing authority website, but for a better insight additional research is needed. The main goal of this paper is to assess the impact of IPA funds on the country's competitiveness considering data on funds specifically intended for agriculture (IPARD), and their impact on the export of agricultural products to beneficiary countries. In addition, analyses of available data on starting a business and trading across borders, and their correlation with data on absorption of IPA funds, were used to determine the importance of EU pre-accession funds for the country's competitiveness. This research is based mainly on the available data of EU statistics and Doing Business reports of the World Bank. Other sources of information are from the Agricultural Payments Agency, Ministry of Finance and Treasury Administration of the Republic of Serbia. The authors consider that this paper is contributing to the knowledge base regarding the structure of IPARD Programme and EU funds available to candidate countries in general. The conclusions reached can help improve the implementation of IPARD funds in Serbia in the future, since the conclusions indicate the main problems that are affecting the absorption of the programme funds.

In order to promote the Republic of Serbia as an investment destination and boost exports is necessary to improve the image of Republic of Serbia. The target is to produce sufficient amounts of high quality raspberries. It is necessary to promote Republic of Serbia as an attractive destination for foreign investment and promote exports of raspberries. The way to achieve the above objectives is determined strategy of international marketing. Republic of Serbia should find its way of realization of the set goals. A good example of prosperity and international promotion of the industry raspberry we can see the competitors Poland and Chile, who have been well positioned in the global market. International marketing should be supported by intensive promotion in all media and the Internet, participation in international fairs.

The research aims to point to the possibilities of efficient placement of agri-food products of the Republic of Serbia as one of the major strategic goals of socio-economic development. More rigorous customer demands for quality products imply an effective marketing channel design that allows fast delivery. France, as an agriculturally developed country, achieves a competitive advantage in the placement of food through the inclusion of Intertek global operator in the channel of marketing. The entire research is based on the application of several methods of modern quantitative and qualitative analysis. The result of the analysis of international experiences is the proposal of an institutional solution and sustainable development of the channel of marketing of agri-food products. Fast, flexible and vertically integrated food marketing channels play a decisive role in competitiveness in the domestic and international market of agribusiness. Increasing competitiveness at domestic, regional and international level is the outcome of the research. By examining the results of structural changes and involving Intertek operators in the food supply chain at the international level, we are pointing to the possible directions of the development of the agribusiness system in the Republic of Serbia. The way to create competitive advantages is to establish, innovate and strengthen links between the subjects of the agribusiness marketing channel as an inseparable component of the reproductive process in the agricultural and food industries.