RITAM POSLA Dražen Čurila

Guest Dražen ČurilaHosted by Lidija KiseljakMay 3, 2026

Dražen Čurila

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Dražen Čurila stepped into the egg production business not from an agricultural background, but from the world of finance and consulting. He found that "people don't value knowledge enough," often willing to pay for a dozen eggs but less so for expert advice, a realization that pushed him towards tangible production. Now, a decade into running Luneta, a major egg producer and exporter, he finds himself navigating an unprecedented landscape. The industry is grappling with supply chain disruptions, soaring feed prices, and the compounding pressures of global events. In this conversation, Čurila lays bare the economics of a commodity business under extreme duress, from the hidden costs of grain speculation to the competitive disadvantages faced by Croatian producers. He details how external factors, from state aid in Poland to the annual ravages of avian flu, reshape market dynamics in ways that demand more than just efficient operations. Readers will walk away with a stark understanding of the intricate, often brutal, realities of food production and the urgent need for a more strategic approach to market protection.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Dražen Čurila, with a decade in the egg business, notes that even those with 40 years in the sector do not recall a crisis like the current one, where everything becomes more expensive daily and the end is nowhere in sight. The "new normal" for commodity producers is not a return to stability, but a constant, unpredictable state of disruption that drains accumulated reserves.

Feed accounts for 70% of poultry production costs, and Čurila describes how corn, sown at normal costs, now sells for more than double its usual price, generating "extra profits" for others. In a commodity market, the largest cost component is often the most opaque, hiding speculative pricing that directly erodes producer margins.

Luneta has raised prices by 10% twice in the last year, with another 10% expected if feed costs rise further, but Čurila stresses that they cannot pass the entire burden to the end consumer. When facing surging input costs, producers in consumer-facing markets often absorb the difference, finding the consumer's price tolerance a harder limit than the supplier's price increases.

Čurila points out that Polish livestock farmers receive substantial financial aid from their government, creating a competitive imbalance that Croatian producers face in the EU market without similar support. State subsidies are not merely economic assistance; they are a competitive tool that can fundamentally alter market pricing and undermine fair competition across borders.

The avian flu, an annual problem, caused a five-fold increase in egg prices in the US after 30 million hens were culled, and currently affects 25% of Hungary's laying hens. For critical food commodities, a "black swan" event like disease outbreaks isn't rare; it's a predictable annual risk that demands systemic resilience, not just reactive culling.

Čurila argues that Croatia should test every truckload of imported eggs for salmonella, as Bulgaria does, instead of relying on "EU verified" status, especially when Polish surpluses flood the market at low prices. Relying solely on origin-country health certifications for imports, rather than implementing local, comprehensive checks, can compromise domestic production standards and public health safeguards.

Dražen Čurila chose to enter production because he felt people "don't value knowledge enough" in consulting, preferring to pay for a tangible product like ten eggs rather than expert advice. The perceived value of a tangible product over an intangible service often drives entrepreneurs towards industries where their effort translates directly into a physical output.

Luneta started a decade ago after Čurila's father, from a finance background, suggested eggs as a viable business due to the availability of EU IPARD funds. Significant business ventures often begin not from a singular passion, but from a strategic intersection of family insight, market opportunity, and available funding mechanisms.

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