World's Poultry Science Journal

Table of Contents - June 2012 - Volume 68, Issue 02  

Review Article

Socio-economic implications of adopting the EU laying hen welfare regulation in Serbia

V. RODIĆa1 c1, L. PERIĆa2, M. DJUKIĆ STOJČIĆa2, N. VUKELIĆa1 and Z. ŠKRBIĆa3

a1 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Trg D. Obradovića 8, Novi Sad, Serbia

a2 University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry, Trg D. Obradovića 8, Novi Sad, Serbia

a3 Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract

Egg producers in the EU had more than a decade to adapt to Directive 1999/74/EC which prohibits keeping laying hens in battery cages after 2012. Meanwhile, numerous studies have been conducted in order to assess the socio-economic implications of this ban and to evaluate consumers’ willingness to support improvement in layer welfare by paying a higher price for eggs produced in alternative systems. The adoption of such regulations in Serbia with the implementation timeframe of less than two years, and without any assessment of consumers’ willingness to pay a higher price for eggs from alternative systems, places the burden of animal welfare on producers. Considering the overall difficult financial situation of egg producers, this poses a risk that a large number of egg producers in Serbia will leave the sector after 2012.

(Received July 19 2011)

(Accepted September 21 2011)

Key Words:

  • laying hens;
  • eggs;
  • welfare;
  • regulation;
  • Serbia

Correspondence:

c1 Corresponding author: rodicv@polj.uns.ac.rs