Identifying the needs of producers—obstacles and development opportunities and selecting the herbs with the greatest market potential

Abstract

Herb cultivation plays an important role in the European economy. The fact that most of the dried plant material is grown in nature and/or imported from outside the EU shows that there is an opportunity to strengthen the sustainable production and processing of herbs in Europe and in Slovenia. Since there is no information on the demand, the possibilities of collaboration and purchase, and the most environmentally and market-friendly herbs for cultivation in Slovenia, the aim of the study is to present the results of an analysis of the needs of producers and buyers by conducting in-depth interviews with key stakeholders (N = 18). The results show that the demand for herbs in Slovenia is growing and that there is also a great need for organized purchasing of herbs. They see the biggest obstacles to production in low purchase prices, insufficient production, lack of collaboration between producers, and the lack of a cooperative that would enable the collaboration of stakeholders in the market. The interviewees see the solution in receiving help from the Ministry of Agriculture, the establishment of a research institution for professional support in the field of herbalism, and the inclusion of herbs in the tourist, culinary and therapeutic offer, whereby the key lies in recognizing the importance of local raw materials.