ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN SERBIA-SHARE OF BARLEY IN IT

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (Poaceae family) is the most important type of cereal grown in temperate climate zones worldwide. It was one of the first cultivated grains. The areas under organic plant production are constantly increasing. Organic crop production in Serbia was performed on the area of 23,527 ha. In Serbia, in 2021, compared to other organic crops, organic fruit was produced the most, on 5,615 ha. In organic cereal production, the dominant role belonged to wheat, which was grown on the area of 1,581 ha in 2021. Organic wheat was followed by rye (879 ha) and spelt wheat (492 ha). Barley, with the area of 399 ha, ranked fourth. Based on data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia, the paper analyzed and presented graphically the ten-year barley production in Serbia. Base and chain indices were used. In the 2011-2021 period, areas cultivated with organic barley varied, but not to the extent that could have been expected. The smallest area was recorded in 2014 with only 23 ha, and the largest in 2018 with an area of 445 ha. According to the regional distribution of areas under organic barley production in Serbia in the observed period (2011-2021) the largest areas were located in the Vojvodina region (on average about 260 ha).