Slovenia: {Slovenija}

Slovenia is determined to address the agrifood challenges and is one of EIT Food’s RIS countries

The agrifood sector is a solid pillar of the Slovenian economy. Net sales revenue of food enterprises in Slovenia is 3 billion EUR and net sales revenue in foreign markets 1 billion EUR. The greatest share (44%) of all food processing enterprises is constituted by enterprises in grain sector that produce starch and starch products, bakery products and pasta.

Although agriculture plays a significant role in Slovenia’s economy, due to the decreasing share of land used for agriculture, there is expected gradual marginalisation of the sector. The competitiveness of Slovenian farms – as compared to other EU countries – remains low because of their small size.

Slovenian R&D sector receives considerable investments, the country spends over 2.0% of its GDP on scientific research, which places Slovenia below the EU average.

Room for Improvement

Although 2022 was marked by a gradual recovery from the pandemic, new uncertainties have emerged in the agri-food sector, such as risks to energy supplies and rising prices of agricultural commodities because of the impact of war, extreme weather events and labour shortages. The further development of the agri-food sector is strongly linked to digitalisation and technological developments, as well as human resources development and adaptation to climate change.

EIT Food Hub in Slovenia: Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia–Chamber of Agricultural and Food Enterprises (CCIS–CAFE)

Our fundamental mission revolves around fostering connections, providing indispensable assistance, and nurturing the growth of enterprises within our industry.

With a seasoned team and years of experience, we are dedicated to leveraging our expertise to empower our members. Together, we strive to shape perspectives and policies, promote the development of the sector while facilitating the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and best practices - both locally and across Europe.

As EIT Food Hub in Slovenia we want to support and empower a culture of ingenuity and forward thinking. We encourage bold, boundary-pushing ideas that can stimulate food innovation ecosystem and technological development to tackle the challenges in the agri-food sector in Slovenia.