Ravni Kotari is a spacious and fertile rural area known for the cultivation of Mediterranean crops. Fertile flysch valleys with fields and drained mud alternate with karst features of the hilly landscape. Ravni Kotari is the most fertile part of the Dalmatian coast. Around Zemunika, Galovac, Smilčić, Stankovac, Benkovac, Polača, Raštević, Poličnik, Škabrnja, Nadina, and other numerous settlements, agriculture has developed.
Thanks to the fertile soil and waters that provide irrigation possibilities, the cultivation of various crops is possible, making this area historically known for production, especially of fruits, vegetables, and, of course, grapes. The northern part of Ravni Kotari, towards Novigrad Bay and the Velebit Channel, is rockier and more exposed to the strong Velebit bora, which can cause damage to agriculture in winter. The main branches of production in Ravni Kotari are viticulture, olive growing, and fruit growing, as well as livestock farming, which gravitates more towards the Bukovica area.
The Benkovac area encompasses over 64 percent of the Ravni Kotari space (360 out of a total of 562 km2), representing the most significant agricultural resource of Zadar County and has ideal climatic conditions for longer vegetation and the production of winter vegetables both outdoors and in protected spaces.
According to data from the ARKOD database, 6,050 ha of agricultural and other land is utilized in the Benkovac area. The dominant purpose of use is karst pastures, which account for over 20 percent of the total area, followed by arable land and meadows, and only after that vineyards, olive groves, and fruit plantations, each making up just over 10 percent of the total area.
On 56 thousand hectares in the area of Zadar and a smaller part of Šibenik-Knin County, agricultural producers have sought support from the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries, and Rural Development for 12,185 hectares, with as much as 64 percent of that area accounted for by pastures and meadows.
Main problem: fragmentation of parcels
From this structure, it is clear that, apart from a few producers, there is no serious agricultural production in Ravni Kotari. The average parcel size is very small, measuring less than 0.5 ha. Such fragmentation of parcels represents the main obstacle to the sustainability of family farms and the development of agriculture in this area.
For agricultural production in this region, access to water and irrigation is necessary, but also systems for draining excess water. This is particularly important for fruit and vegetable production, which represents an important economic branch and has wide possibilities for further development. However, the problem is the need for additional water for irrigation, which has begun to be addressed through the construction of accumulation lakes such as the Vlačine accumulation (930,000 m3).
The Gornja Baštica field, rich in quality agricultural soil, has been primarily used for the cultivation of orchards and vineyards. The total area of the meliorated area is 440 hectares and has great potential for agricultural development.
The Smilčić field is located between the villages of Biljane Donje and Smilčić. It is characterized by quality agricultural land primarily used for the cultivation of orchards, covering an area of 100 hectares. The field is now fully cultivated. The irrigation system was damaged during the war. A new irrigation system, Baštica II, has been built, covering Smilčić and Lišansko polje.
