Problems of the specialization of production in the South Central Region

Jordanka Ivkova, Stela Todorova

Abstract: The specialization of agricultural production is a factor in the effective enhancing and functioning of the viability of agricultural holdings. The object of study in this work is the specialization of agricultural production in the South Central Region (SCR). The choice of the area of study is based on multiple objective reasons. By GDP per capita SCR is second with a growth of 156,6 % for the period between the years of 2000 and 2010, following the Southwestern region. The goal is to analyze the specialization of plant production and to outline the development trends on the basis of the currently existing state of plant production in the region. To achieve the objectives of the survey we have used our own polling data, as well as data from the MAF and the NSI plus additional calculations made by the authors. In the selection of the municipalities for the study the goal was to capture the diversity of the South Central region I terms of: the structure of the economy in the municipalities; the degree of development of the municipalities; the level of infrastructure development; the natural-climatic diversity; the economic activity of the population. The four chosen municipalities are: the municipality of Saedinenie, the municipality of Maritsa, the municipality of Stamboliyski, and the municipality of Rhodopes. A sample of 75 agricultural holdings with different organizational status in the municipalities is formed. For the purpose of this study a nesting selection is used for the determination of the sample. In the literature the nesting selection is also known as serial and multistage selection. In it the formation of the sample takes place at two or more levels (stages). The nesting selection provides reliable results when it is in compliance with the principle of randomness. A brief theoretical overview of the problem of specialization in Bulgarian and foreign literature has been made. It has been proven that the trends in the level and the dynamics of specialization over the past decades are dependent on the structural changes in the agricultural sector of the country. The typology of the holdings provides an opportunity to determine their specialization and economic size using single classification method depending on the proportion of areas under crops and the number of animals calculated in standard differences. A distribution of the holdings according to their standard difference by specialization has been made in 2007 and 20011, and the trends in its amendment have been studied. The profitability of the holdings is different according to their specialization. As a result of the study we can draw the following conclusions: • Specialization of plant production is concentrated in small and medium-sized holdings. The general trend is also valid for the individual types of specialization. • The number of small holdings tends to decrease. • The rate of growth of specialized medium-sized holdings is low. • Large specialized holdings are very few and their growth is insignificant for all types of specialization. The trends of development of the specialized agricultural holdings and their economic efficiency are divergent. The specialization in grain production is of increasing economic efficiency, which is why the size and number of these farms is growing steadily. A lasting trend of decline in economic performance has emerged for the other types of specialization. The decline in vegetable growing is the most serious and permanent one.

Keywords: economic effciency; farms; South Central Region; specialization

Date published: 2017-10-03