CroAGRO 2
Episode · #90
SAJAMSKI RADIO - CroAGRO 2
Guest CroAGRO 2Hosted by Boris ŽivkovićMay 3, 2026
CroAGRO 2
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
The CroAGRO fair serves as a pulse check on the state of agriculture in Croatia, revealing both the ambition of its farmers and the systemic challenges they face. This episode brings together several industry voices, from traditional machinery suppliers to software developers, each offering a distinct perspective on technology adoption, market realities, and the path forward. You'll hear how a seemingly traditional sector is grappling with digital transformation, the surprising affordability of advanced tools, and the often-overlooked demographic hurdles shaping the future of Croatian farming.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
The perception that modern agricultural software is too expensive for individual farmers is often inaccurate. Agrivi's platform, offering comprehensive production management, is priced at 1000-1500 HRK annually, a cost the company claims 'pays for itself' through increased yields. The barrier to adoption isn't always cost; it's often the failure to communicate a direct, tangible return on investment that makes the price seem trivial.
02
Asked whether Croatian farmers are slow to adopt modern agricultural trends, a representative from AM Grupa firmly states they are 'absolutely educated' and 'in step with all countries in the region.' Assumptions about a market's sophistication can be misleading; sometimes, the market is ready for innovation, but external factors like inadequate support structures are holding it back.
03
Agrivi's global operations, with major offices in London, Warsaw, and Bucharest, maintain Zagreb as their 'operational center' for IT and a portion of sales. This setup shows that a smaller local market can still serve as the engineering and development heart for a globally distributed product, proving that talent concentration can matter more than market size for certain core functions.
04
The purchase of modern agricultural technology in Croatia 'depends heavily on EU funds and various grants,' as Mirko Leško of Leško points out. Even with clear benefits and a willingness to adopt, a market's investment in new technology can be entirely dependent on external subsidies, rather than solely on perceived value or internal capital.
05
Marinada, a major Croatian fruit and vegetable producer accounting for about 50% of the market, is adopting Agrivi's software for its own operations and plans to extend it to its network of cooperants. In a fragmented market, large integrators can act as crucial accelerators for technology adoption, effectively pulling smaller, independent players into the digital transformation.
06
When comparing the agricultural landscape, Agrivi notes that Croatia has only 'about ten' large farms over 200 hectares, starkly contrasting with Romania's 80-100 farms exceeding 10,000 hectares. The size and structure of a market dictate the type of tech adoption; solutions that scale in consolidated markets need adaptation for fragmented ones.
07
A primary challenge for Croatian agriculture, according to AM Grupa, is 'not enough investment in rural areas' and the ongoing issue of people leaving. For a foundational industry, the biggest hurdles are often demographic and infrastructural, not just technological advancements or market access.