- by croatiaweek
- April 19, 2026
- in
ZAGREB, 19 April 2026 – Croatian strawberries could soon become a luxury item, as rising production costs, poor weather conditions and labour shortages continue to push prices upwards.
While the first strawberries have already appeared at markets across the country, they are largely imported.
Significant quantities are arriving from Greece, Germany and Italy, with domestic produce yet to reach stalls in meaningful volumes, writes Dnevnik.hr
Local growers say Croatian strawberries are expected to arrive within the next ten days, but at noticeably higher prices than last year.
The upward trend in pricing is already evident. Between 6 and 12 April, the average price of strawberries at markets stood at around €7 per kilogram.
Some cities recorded significantly higher figures, with Rijeka reaching approximately €11 per kilogram, followed by Bjelovar at €10 and Varaždin at €8.
Producers warn that the situation could worsen in the coming years. The well-known “purgerica” strawberry, traditionally associated with the Zagreb region, could gradually disappear from markets altogether.
Production has already declined sharply in some areas. In the Vrgorac region, one of Croatia’s key strawberry-growing zones, output has fallen by as much as 40 percent. Growers cite a lack of available labour as one of the main reasons for the drop.
Domestic producers also struggle to compete with imported strawberries at the start of the season, when foreign supply dominates the market and sets price expectations.
Larger quantities of Vrgorac strawberries are expected to arrive at markets next week.
However, without effective solutions to address labour shortages and rising production costs, growers warn that Croatian strawberries may increasingly become a premium product, out of reach for many consumers.