THE PRUHE INDUSTRY II' YUGOSLAVIA. 
By M. J. Newhouse, Specialist in Dried Fruit Marketing a/ 
Sun :tn a ry an d- C o n c lu s i o n s 
The primary object of prune production in Yugoslavia is to supply 
the native population with fresh fruit:, prune jam and prune brandy. 
Under normal conditions only such Quantities of prunes as are left over 
after these needs have been ta^en Care of are driea and sold in' the 
export market. The' quantities of prunes used for each purpose depend 
largely on prices ruling for prune by-products but in general the pro- 
duction of dried prunes is entirely secondary to the other aspects of 
the prune industry. 
Prune production cannot be said to be a specialized industry in 
Yugoslavia. Commercial orchards are very rare, . practically all of the 
trees being found in the groves: surrounding the homestead. As the farmers 
generally live together in small villages the concentration of prune trees 
in the vicinity of the villages is sometimes very heavy. The population 
of the country is mainly rural, farm life in general bein- relatively 
simple end self sufficing. Modern' horticultural methods are practically 
unknown. 
Tree losses in Yugoslavia have run into the million in recent 
years due to lack of care and planting during the waJ and to the spread 
of Schildlaus (Lecanium Corni) in the older orchards. Moreover, produc- 
tion per tree in recent years has been low due to unfavorable climatic 
conditions. The Kingdom is much concerned over the plight of the industry. 
Funds, hovever, a re to be made available for disease and pest control 
measures and much additional educational work is contemplated. State 
nurseries are maintained by the provinces (Oblasts), and each county in 
the provinces has an agricultural agent. Through these and through ex- . 
tension schools in horticulture the Yugoslav government is attempting to 
improve varieties and to introduce modern methods of planting ., cult i.v at ion , 
drying and harvesting. 
In pre-war years exports of dried, prunes from Yugoslavia averaged 
about 50.0C0 short tons annually. Post-war exports up to, 192? did not 
vary materially, except in the low crop year of 1924, from the pre-war 
average, 7or the crop years 1927, 1928, and 192',, however, the annual 
exports have averaged less than 25,000 tons. This decline in the' export 
surplus of dried prunes is the result partly of tree losses and partly 
of reduced yields per tree. .Contributing causes are the greater conver- 
sion of plums into jams and orandy and increased shipments of 'fresh plums 
a/ The report is based on actual observations and on interviews with grow- 
ers, packers, sales factors, bankers, agricultural agents and government 
officials in Yugoslavia, by Mr. Newhouse in company with L. V. Steere, 
agricultural Commissioner at 3erlin. ...r. Newhouse represented the Division 
of Cooperative :..ar^eting which on October 1 was transferred to the Federal 
Farm Board. 
