Serbia: Exporter Guide
In the period January - October 2017, Serbia’s total agro-food exports reached a value of USD 2.40 billion, a 14 percent decrease from the same period in 2016. Total agro-food imports into Serbia for the period January - October 2017 were valued at USD 1.25 billion, a decrease of 17 percent compared to the same period in 2016. Agriculture is the most important export sector, accounting for over 21 percent of all Serbian exports and enjoying a trade surplus of USD 1.15 billion or 12 percent less than in 2016. The European Union (EU), Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) and Customs Union (Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus) countries are the most important trading partners for Serbia. The sensitive economic situation has depressed Serbia’s high value food imports as national incomes have not kept up with the increased cost of living. The challenges faced by U.S. exporters include high import tariffs for products from non-EU and non-CEFTA countries, low incomes,which affect consumer buying power, standards, which sometimes diverge from international norms, infrastructure issues and the presence of monopolies in the production and retail chains.
