Changes in the Slovak Plum Production and its Competitiveness on the Single Market

The article identifies the importance and development of production and related competitiveness in the EU single market of plum production in the Slovak Republic in the time horizon from Slovakia's accession to the EU until 2020. The research results show an overall positive development in the area of plum orchards (18% increase), which is in contrast to the overall development of the area of orchards in the Slovak Republic (7.12% decrease). However, the changes in the area under cultivation are not reflected in the increase in production (decrease of 45.22%) during the period under study. This fact was also reflected in the volatility of the identified competitiveness of Slovak plum production on the EU Single Market during the period under review. The trade balance was positive only to a limited extent in 2008 and 2009. Nevertheless, the measured RCA values point to a more significant degree of competitiveness of Slovak plum production on the EU single market, with a positive trend between 2008 and 2015. However, there is a decline in competitiveness after 2015, when this negative trend could not be reversed until the end of the period under consideration. In order to reverse this negative trend, further targeted measures will be necessary in the future, both in terms of policies, modernisation processes and improved agrotechnical practices.