| Abstract | Proizvodnja šećera kao prehrambenog, a potom i industrijskog proizvoda razvija se
kontinuirano i usporedo tijekom cijelog perioda razvoja čovječanstva. Kako je raslo i evoluiralo
čovječanstvo, tako je rasla i evoluirala proizvodnja šećera. Isprva je šećer predstavljao statusni
simbol, pretpostavljalo se kako ima nadnaravna svojstva, bio je lijek, začin ili dodatak prehrani.
Ozbiljnija proizvodnja šećera, na rudimentarnoj industrijskoj razini započinje netom po otkriću
Novog svijeta, kada se, zdušno potpomognuta robovskim radom, šećerna trska počinje uzgajati u
španjolskim kolonijama, a već je negdje oko 1516. godine iz te regije šećer, kao gotovi
proizvod, prvi put bio prevezen natrag u Europu. Na hrvatskom teritoriju prva proizvodnja
šećera, doduše preradom uvezenog šećera iz šećerne trske, zabilježena je sredinom
osamnaestog stoljeća na području Rijeke. Početkom dvadesetog stoljeća, ponajviše zaslugom
stranih investitora, s područja zemalja tadašnje Austro-Ugarske Monarhije, dolazi do otvaranja
modernih pogona za proizvodnu šećera preradom šećerne repe, i to prvo u Osijeku 1905.
godine, a potom u Belomu Manastiru 1908. godine. Sredinom i u drugoj polovici dvadesetog
stoljeća s radom su na teritoriju današnje Republike Hrvatske započele još dvije tvornice šećera,
i to u Županji 1947. godine i u Virovitici 1980. godine.
Od tada je industrija proizvodnje šećera u Republici Hrvatskoj prerasla, uz veće ili manje uzlete
i padove, u respektabilnu i izvozno orijentiranu industrijsku granu. Pristupanjem Republike
Hrvatske Europskoj uniji, hrvatskoj industriji proizvodnje šećera otvorena je prilika za bolje
pozicioniranje na tržištu koje ima više od 500 milijuna potrošača. Unatoč tome, površine
zasijane šećernom repom u Republici Hrvatskoj, a samim time i proizvodnja šećera iz šećerne
repe, od 2006. do 2016. godine bilježe konstantan pad. U istom periodu općenito stagnira izvoz
šećera iz Republike Hrvatske, posebno na prirodno i tradicionalno nam sklono tržište Europske
unije.
Ova doktorska disertacija nastoji sagledati i razumjeti ukupne proizvodno-ekonomske prilike i
potencijale hrvatske industrije proizvodnje šećera, a potom, nakon što se identificiraju i testiraju
ključni parametri koji utječu na razinu konkurentnosti, provjeriti koji su to čimbenici s najvećim
utjecajem na izraženu razinu komparativne prednosti – europske i potom, posljedično, hrvatske
industrije proizvodnje šećera. |
| Abstract (english) | Production of sugar as a foodstuff and subsequently as an industrial product has been
developing continuously and along with the entire development of mankind. As the mankind
had been advancing and evolving, so had the sugar production. At first, sugar was considered
a status symbol. It was believed that it had supernatural qualities and it was used as a cure, a
spice or a dietary supplement. Sugar production on a larger scale, at the rudimentary industrial
level, begins with the discovery of the New World. At that time, the sugar cane was planted and
grown in Spanish colonies, strongly boosted by slave labour. Sugar as the final product was
shipped back to Europe from that region for the first time around 1516. The first sugar
production recorded on the Croatian territory, although primarily consisting of the imported
cane sugar processing, was recorded in the mid-18th century in the Rijeka area. At the
beginning of the 20th century, thanks to the foreign investors from the territory of the then
Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, modern sugar production facilities for processing of sugar beet
had been opened first in Osijek in 1905 and then in Beli Manastir in 1908. Around the mid-20th
century and in its second half, two other sugar factories were established on the territory of the
present-day Republic of Croatia, in Županja (1947) and in Virovitica (1980).
Since then and after going through a number of ups and downs, the sugar production industry
in the Republic of Croatia has grown into a respectable and export-oriented industry sector. The
Republic of Croatia’s accession to the European Union has given a chance to the Croatian sugar
industry to position itself on a market with more than 500 million consumers. The agricultural
areas planted with sugar beet in the Republic of Croatia had been steadily decreasing between
2006 and 2016, along with the production of sugar from sugar beet. In the same period, the
export of sugar from the Republic of Croatia to the generally favourable EU market had
stagnated.
This doctoral thesis seeks to assess and make an overview of the overall production and
economic opportunities and potentials of the Croatian sugar production industry. Furthermore,
after identifying and testing the key parameters that are affecting the level of competitiveness,
it seeks to examine the most influential factors affecting the expressed level of comparative
advantage, of both the European and consequently the Croatian sugar production industry. |
