Analysis of raspberry production in the world and Serbia

The beginning of growing of red raspberry in Serbia dates back to 1880, when Serbian emigrants from the USA brought American red raspberry seedlings (Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus Michx.) to the vicinity of the Valjevo city in western Serbia. The people gave it the local name ‘Valjevska’ (syn.: ‘Kopaoničanka’), but it was reliably established that it is the American ‘Marlboro’ cultivar. The commercial cultivation of raspberries dates back to 1920, when, apart from the Valjevo area, raspberries began to be grown in the Čačak area, also in western Serbia with a local cultivar of small and aromatic fruit called ‘Jelička’. Apart from the mentioned cultivars, other local cultivars such as ‘Bukovička’ and ‘Zaječarska’ are grown sporadically. At the beginning of the 70s of the 20th century, the small Arilje city with its surrounding villages in the hilly and mountainous area of western Serbia grew into a mega center of red raspberry production with the American ‘Willamette’ cultivar. In this area, the quality of raspberries “a la Arilje” and a complete agricultural system of red raspberry production, which had not been seen in the world until then, was built and continues today. The main goal of this review is the analysis of red raspberry production in the world and Serbia over 70 years and the proposal of technological intervention in order to obtain regular, economically justified and sustainable production.