ON THE EMPIRICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE BALASSA AND GRUBEL LLOYD INDEX OF SERBIAN FOOD PRODUCTS

The research analyzes the comparative advantage of Serbia’s agricultural food product exports using the Balassa (RCA) and Grubel-Lloyd (GL) indexes, covering 2005–2024. Results for 2024 show a strong RCA in wheat and a significant advantage in flour, corn, barley, groats, and processed fruit. The greatest RCA growth occurred in barley and spices, while chocolate and dairy products saw the steepest decline. The analysis of trade structure indicates that Serbia maintains a predominantly inter-industry trade pattern across most product groups. However, there is notable growth in intra-industry exchange, as evidenced by an increase in the GL index for tea, live animals, cereal products, and chocolate. The highest GL index growth in inter-industry trade was recorded for processed fish. Overall, the study highlights Serbia’s stable export surplus in agri-food trade and evolving trade dynamics, especially the increasing presence of intra-industry trade in selected product categories.