Effects Of Intensifying Grain Production In Family Holdings

The starting point of the present study was the assumption that the intensity of grain production (wheat and maize), on family farms/holdings, can be raised to a higher level by increasing the use of mineral fertilizers per unit area as one of the fastest, simplest and economically most rational measures (does not require additional investments). Determination to increase the level of grain production intensity in this way is the result of survey conducted on family farms/holdings on the territory of Vojvodina. Namely, the survey established that family farms/holdings, despite of analyses of soil fertility and received recommendations for the optimal application of mineral fertilizers, by extension services, in most cases (83%) do not respect the recommendations, and apply mineral fertilizers in accordance with their habits and budget. The results obtained indicated that there were significant opportunities to increase the intensity of grain production by using larger amounts of mineral fertilizers per unit area. Namely, because of the lower use of mineral fertilizers in relation to the recommendations given by the agricultural extension, lower wheat yields were achieved in average by 18.7% and 17.6% for maize than planned, which had the effect of considerably reducing not only the actual value of production of these crops, but also the total profit of family farms/holdings.