IMPORTANCE OF INVESTMENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TABLE EGG PRODUCTION COMPETITIVENESS

Competitiveness of table egg production in the Republic of Croatia is closely related to the process of adjustment to EU standards. Following the EU legislative, laying hens will be kept in improved cages and within alternative keeping systems (outdoor keeping, deep litter keeping and indoor caged layer keeping). In order to determine prerequisites for table egg production development, the present research aimed at evaluating investment requirements table egg producers were faced with. Obtained research results proved that production infrastructure and equipment at about 80% of analyzed farms did not meet required standards, and only 20% of producers could assure technical and technological conditions as required by the legal regulations. While being in the process of EU standards adjustment, producers indicated that the greatest threat was primarily found in the increase of production costs, and secondly in the lowering production capacities. Sustainability of production and competitiveness of table egg producers would be possibly assured by efficient production organization which would involve horizontal relations between producers.