Economic aspects of vermicompost production in southern Serbia

Abstract

Given the accelerated technical and technological development in the field of agricultural production of the 21st century, which aims to increase production quantitatively, the quality of primary agricultural products is in many cases unfairly neglected. This has directly aroused consumer awareness of the inevitable transition to purchasing products from alternative production methods (self-produced "healthy food", organic food production). For these reasons, the consumer alternative is to switch to environmentally friendly and health-safe products obtained from agricultural production and to use them in the future. A very promising product of this kind in the Republic of Serbia is vermicompost. Vermicompost is widely used in primary agricultural production: fruits and vegetables, mushroom production, horticulture, nurseries, green areas, parks, green sports fields, and in all segments of organic plant production. The benefits that farmers have from using vermicompost are a prerequisite for this product to be marketed in Serbia. This paper describes the benefits for both vermicompost manufacturers and consumers and the wider community.