Browse Data and Analysis

After over ten years, Serbia still has not implemented changes to its Law on Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs) which was adopted in 2009. The current law strictly prohibits the importation, production, or commercial growing of genetically engineered crops. The law does not conform to European Union (EU) regulations or the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.

Persistent drought from May to August 2022 has damaged most of the spring crops in Serbia, mainly corn, soya, and fruits. Crop yields are forecast to decline by 20-30 percent, with total losses potentially reaching $ billion.

On April 20, the Government of Serbia (GoS) lifted its prohibition on the export of wheat, corn, flour, and refined sunflower oil. In its place, introduced monthly export quotas. On April 30, the GoS increased export quotas on wheat and wheat flour.

Post forecasts that sugar cane production in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) will increase by 2 percent, to 5.3 million metric tons (MT) in the 2022/23 MY, based on good rainfall, increased available irrigation water, normal weather conditions, expanded planted area and consistent cane yields.

Serbia is closely following the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, especially because 80 percent of Serbia’s grain exports travel to the world via Black Sea ports.

On March 17, the Serbian Government added refined sunflower edible oil to the list of grains and oilseeds that cannot be exported because of their importance to food security. In the same amendment the Serbian Government removed raw sunflower seed oil from the list that is now free for export.

Serbia offers good opportunities for the U.S. exporters of consumer-oriented agriculture products. January – October 2021, total U.S. exports of agriculture products to Serbia reached $22.6 million, an increase of 21 percent compared to the same period in 2020.

This report provides information on Serbian regulations and standards concerning food, agriculture, agricultural products, and foreign trade. It includes information on labeling, packaging, food additives, and import procedures. In 2021, Serbia adopted the new Law on Regulation of the Agriculture Products Market and more than seventy by-laws that included different rules and ordinances.

This report provides guidance on the certificate requirements for agricultural and food products exported to Serbia and includes the certificates that are recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (MAFWM) in Serbia and the relevant U.S. authorities (U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture/Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture/ Agricultural Marketing Service, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration).

In 2009, Serbia adopted the current “Law on Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs),” which strictly prohibits importing, producing, or commercial growing genetically engineered crops. After more than ten years, Serbia still has not implemented changes to this “Law on GEOs” that conforms to European Union (EU) regulations or the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement.

Very high temperatures starting in May and low precipitation did not have a negative effect on wheat and barley production in Serbia, while corn yield will be reduced by at least 20 percent.

Post forecasts that sugar cane production in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) will increase marginally by 1 percent to 6.1 million Metric Tons (MT) in the 2021/22 Marketing Year (MY), based on good rainfall, increased available irrigation water, normal weather conditions, growth in the area planted and consistent cane yields.