Young Family Farmers Transform Agriculture into a Business with Added Value

They are still young farmers, seemingly defying our stereotype of a farmer who works the land dirty, semi-literate, knows only how to sow and harvest, and whose behavior is not exactly up to par. But that is not the case. In difficult times when the number of farmers of all generations is declining, except, interestingly, for those over 65, whose numbers are increasing, their orientation towards agriculture, as well as the processing of their primary production, is inspiring.

Young farmers are recognized from the age of 18 until the last day of their 40s. We contacted many of them. Some were not interested, like twins Lorena and Lara Botković, students whose family farm Vila (taken over from their parents) in Pitomača has been successfully engaged in sheep farming for about thirty years. But we were persistent. Or Ivan Majica, a young man from Sv. Filip i Jakov who produces carrots. He apologized because, he says, he simply does not have time to talk. Many of them, for various reasons, do not participate in this story, but there are also those who wanted to introduce themselves and share how they started.

They say that ladies have the advantage, so we will honor one who continued her parents’ business in Donja Bistra in the Zagreb County – Maja Šulog (27), who has participated in all farm activities since childhood. Four years ago, she graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture in Zagreb, and she credits her love for nature to her grandmother, but also to her boyfriend who inspires her.

– The combination of acquired knowledge and experience from everyday life on the farm encouraged me to continue the tradition, but also to introduce innovations in line with modern approaches to agriculture – Maja begins.

Her family cultivates 50 types of exotic fruits and vegetables in Croatia, among which babaco, physalis, blue potatoes, chayote, yellow watermelons, yuzu oranges, miniguava, feijoa, our pear, Surinam cherry, and others stand out. However, she emphasizes that the most important production is of Indian bananas on three hectares (out of a total of five), an exceptionally resilient fruit species, ideal for organic farming as it is not grown in greenhouses.

– Given the very short shelf life of Indian bananas after harvest, the added value of this crop lies precisely in its processed products. Among the innovations we have developed, I highlight sparkling wine and wine from Indian bananas, beer and gin with the characteristic aromas of that fruit, jam, honey, and ice cream. With these products, we not only reduce waste and maximize the use of the fruits but also offer customers innovative, locally produced delicacies that are unique even in the global market. We distribute them to shopping centers across Croatia, but we also export to the European market, primarily to the Netherlands – Maja states.

Never Heard of in the Ministry

She has 14 employees and numerous cooperatives in Croatia, and this year she won the award for the best young farmer in Croatia organized by Jutarnji list and Croatian MEP Sunčana Glavak. Her family farm Šulog was awarded the prestigious ‘Rose of Zagreb County’ award in 2025 for its contribution to tourism.

Interestingly, the Šulog family farm has a specific problem with administration. Since it deals with the cultivation of exotic and rare plant species, it often happens that responsible institutions, including the Ministry of Agriculture, have never heard of these crops, which further complicates the processes of obtaining the necessary documentation and approvals. Despite this, her desire is to expand the plantations of Indian bananas, and she is introducing yuzu orange plantations in the experimental phase to test its adaptability and potential on Croatian soil.

Another laureate, but last year’s – Dario Sajko (29) from Čađavica (Virovitica-Podravina County) – cultivates 200 hectares of land, exclusively under medicinal herbs.

– The dominant crops are chamomile and bitter fennel, and we are currently planting additional aromatic crops. Our long-term vision is complete specialization in the production of medicinal herbs. Part of the production is marketed through purchasing channels domestically and abroad, while part is processed into finished tea blends under the Sajko Camomile brand – Sajko describes.

He has created his own energy-independent facility for processing and drying herbs, significantly reducing costs and increasing sustainability. At the same time, he has developed a line of finished teas, thus completing the business model ‘from field to final product’. He has been engaged in agriculture since childhood, now has eight permanent employees, and sees his future in the medicinal herb sector, which he considers one of the most promising segments of agriculture.

His wife is his right hand (they have three children), and business plans are focused on expanding the areas under medicinal herbs, increasing production capacities, and strengthening the Sajko Camomile brand in the domestic and international markets.

– The focus is on added value through processing and creating high-quality products. The main challenges are high production costs, complex administration, and market price instability. We are addressing them by diversifying crops, investing in innovations, and our own processing – Sajko says.

Champion of Sustainability

We leave Čađavica and head to Gola (Hungarian stork) in the Koprivnica-Križevci County, where we meet Domagoj Zlatar (35), who this year won third place in the competition for the best young farmer and the title ‘Champion of Sustainability’. He switched from milking cows to milking goats and has no regrets. Last year, he sold over one hundred thousand liters of goat milk to Vindija, and he also sells breeding kids for further breeding and male kids for slaughter. He sells excess corn and wheat to local buyers, and depending on the year, he produces 80 – 100 tons of corn and 30 – 50 tons of grain. Along with other household members, he has two full-time employees and praises his ‘wonderful wife’ Katja and is proud of his three children.

Since childhood, he has been involved in agriculture with his parents, but he did disturb us a bit with the story that he started driving a tractor independently even before he could press the clutch while sitting in the seat.

– I had to jump from the seat to the clutch – he says while we shake our heads left and right.

He graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture, majoring in Agribusiness and Rural Development, and highlights the introduction of conservation tillage and cover crops as innovations. Seasonal weather anomalies are increasing, causing crops to often suffer, but he is trying to adapt by establishing the aforementioned new agronomic practices. He raises a champion goat, which won first place at the livestock fair in Gudovac.

– We want to improve production step by step to be more productive, and to keep the animals healthy and satisfied. It would be necessary to upgrade the farm and invest in modern milking equipment, increasing the number of animals to a capacity that would ensure a decent life for the family while maximizing dedication to each animal on the farm – he lists.

And in Velika Kosnica near Velika Gorica lives and works the would-be radiologist Ilija Jurić (34). He graduated from medical high school and obtained a degree from the Health Polytechnic in Zagreb, but his path led him to his second love – agriculture. Three years ago, he was the best young farmer, growing seedlings, edible flowers, microgreens, and exotic herbs. He developed the Tukan Greens brand, and his herbs, due to their exceptional nutritional values, are consumed by patients at the Clinical Hospital Center in Zagreb. He once stated: – There are many edible flowers that people do not know about; for example, we have seven different mint aromas – with strawberry, pineapple, chocolate mint… I often sell such unconventional plants to top restaurants and those with Michelin stars.

He tells us that the most important thing is to have a goal and not to give up. When it was hardest for him, he accepted it as a sign that he had to grit his teeth and work even harder.

Pure Enthusiasm

– In my case, the circumstances were such that I inherited the family farm from my father. He has almost no financial education, but he knew how to recognize an opportunity and, as they say, ‘has a nose for business’. My education was directed towards medicine, and I had no contact with finance and planning, so everything I started was out of pure enthusiasm and love for plants and their discovery. Over time, you learn to make plans and record every step, so you do not make mistakes in the next season. I think a big problem is that young people are not financially literate and thus start private businesses that quickly fail after initial enthusiasm – he says.

Since we are already in Velika Kosnica, we will jump a few kilometers further to Mičevci to Tomislav Haluga (38), who took over the family farm from his father Ivica in 2015 and launched a pig farm project worth two million euros. His father, along with another foreign worker, works with him on the farm.

He was also among the awardees for the best young farmers in Croatia this year. He tells how his father wanted to modernize production, visited large farms in Germany, made a project, but could not realize it due to scoring conditions. At that point, Tomislav decided to leave his studies in computer science and become the head of the family farm because, as a young farmer, he had better conditions for withdrawing money from EU funds.

Administration and Inspections

– Currently, we have about 100 sows and 900 fattening pigs on the farm, from piglets to large fattening pigs. We cultivate 100 hectares of land, where we sow barley, corn, soybeans, and wheat for the needs of the farm. Next year, the farm will produce a minimum of 2500 fattening pigs at full capacity, and I plan to reach at least 150 hectares of land and produce more than 3000 pigs per year. We market our products to butchers in Zagreb, and one of the largest buyers is Mesnice Žumberčanka. Our farm has the most modern automatic feeding system from the Austrian company Schauer, ventilation for the farm, as well as heating and cooling systems – Haluga states.

The east of Croatia also has its heroes. One of them is Adam Knežević (35) from Šiškovac in the Vukovar-Srijem County, who claims that his story is a typical example of a successful family business, but with a clear optimization strategy. His grandfather laid the foundations of the beekeeping business, and his father paved the way. However, the key business breakthrough was made after he graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture in Osijek. Eleven years ago, the family made a strategic decision to significantly expand the business, and since then, they have doubled the number of bee colonies, reaching over 1000 hives.

– By expanding the business, we have raised family beekeeping to a high, almost industrial level. This has allowed me to earn the prestigious title of the best young beekeeper at the age of 35, but more importantly, we have created a strong and resilient business model. Our production portfolio is extremely diversified, which reduces market risk – Knežević explains.

This year, he won the ‘Guardian of Health and Nature’ award at the selection of the best young farmer. He produces a wide range of honey – from standard varieties (acacia, linden, flower) to specialized, high-value types such as chestnut, honeydew, Velebit, and ivy, 30 tons per year, which is impressive. In addition to honey, he produces all bee products: propolis, pollen, royal jelly, bee bread, wax, and bee venom.

– Although marketing is challenging due to the low prices of imported goods, our business strategy relies on the premium segment – natural, domestic products with verified origins that always find their customers. In a world of large systems, innovation arises from the need for efficiency. This is how our most important business novelty was created, which is currently in the process of patent protection: an edible bag for bees. Since feeding patties in PVC bags to over a thousand hives generates a huge amount of plastic waste that must be disposed of several times a year, I solved the problem ecologically and economically: by inventing a bag that the bee consumes entirely – Knežević explains.

It is a 100 percent ecological and biodegradable solution that radically reduces the working time and ecological footprint of his family farm. However, his family has also launched another project – the Beekeeping Museum, which he emphasizes is an important part of their business infrastructure. It opened four years ago and is not only an educational center but also a powerful marketing tool and a place for direct sales. To date, the Knežević family has collected over 900 awards for their products, including numerous gold, silver, bronze, and champion titles, thus becoming one of the most awarded beekeeping entities in the region. Just that fact, he emphasizes, is an invaluable added value to their brand.

– Unfortunately, as a large family farm, we face daily obstacles that hinder business operations. The biggest generators of stress are administration and inspections. The amount of paperwork is such that if we were to fully dedicate ourselves to it, we would neglect our primary business. Another pressing issue is logistics and space for housing hives. For more than a thousand colonies, it is difficult to secure long-term locations. Therefore, I advocate for the implementation of regulations that would require large agricultural processors to leave small segments of land for bees, birds, and wildlife – Knežević states.

Philosopher from Cambridge

The family also has a traditional financial strategy, he adds, based on the principles of ‘smart investment and savings’. All major investments have been and are carried out with their own funds, thus avoiding debt and ensuring financial independence.

– Future plans include gradually increasing production, but the primary focus is on expanding the market and finding customers for our premium product. With my family – my wife and three sons, who are my key logistical support – and the solid foundations of the family business, we remain committed to development in Croatia, and our exports actually go to people who have left but are still our loyal customers and best promoters – Knežević emphasizes.

Next to Zagreb’s Dubrava lies the Zrno eco estate, the oldest such estate in Croatia, founded in the late 1980s by Zlata Nanić, a pioneer of organic farming in Croatia. The family of David Pejić (35) took it over in 2010. Interestingly, this young farmer studied film production and philosophy at the University of New York, and later obtained a master’s degree in philosophy at Cambridge, before returning in 2015 after completing his studies.

– Although during my education abroad I explored and started other careers, the love for the family business and the values on which it is based have always been strongly present in my mental space. I knew I wanted to continue it and further improve it – Pejić begins.

The Zrno eco estate cultivates over 60 agricultural crops, primarily vegetables, on approximately 20 hectares of land. A large number of their own crops are processed into a line of naturally fermented products and preserves, and the estate also operates an artisan bakery that produces sourdough bread, pastries, cakes, and ready meals. Pejić has over 150 certified eco-products and his own restaurant Zrno bio bistro, which is the first and only certified organic restaurant in Croatia.

– We market products from the Zrno eco estate through our own retail chain, namely bio&bio stores, of which there are currently 25 across Croatia. In agriculture, we have introduced kabochas and hakurei radishes, in processing kimchi, in baking gluten-free sourdough bread, and in Zrno bio bistro new dishes like yaki udon. All our products share the criteria of organic production, small batches, handmade, and whole ingredients – Pejić notes.

Young and Successful

He received the award for the best organic farmer in the EU and for the best young farmer in Croatia. He has 37 permanent employees, of which 27 are on the estate and 10 in the bistro. The main focus now is on the project of building new production facilities on the estate, which has recently been submitted for EU funding applications.

This is just a small part of the successful young farmers. Perhaps the biggest regret of the author of these lines is that he could not contact Ivan Palčić (39), a young farmer from Vukovina near Velika Gorica who has an inspiring story. At 19, he became disabled after a traffic accident, but he did not give up and today successfully runs his family farm. But we hope to have better luck next time.

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