The European agri-food chain is structured around several economic links—agricultural production, industrial processing, distribution, and retail. In theory, each stage contributes to the creation of the added value of the food products that reach the market. In practice, however, the distribution of the economic value generated along this chain is often uneven.

Analyses by the European Commission show that farmers represent the link with the highest exposure to risks—climatic, biological, and market-related—but not always the one that captures the largest share of economic value.

In the cereal sector, for example, the price obtained by farmers primarily reflects global market conditions. Logistics costs, processing, and distribution can subsequently generate significantly higher economic value throughout the agri-food chain.

In Romania, this dynamic is intensified by the structure of the agri-food sector. Agriculture has a strong production capacity, yet integration into processing and distribution chains remains limited in certain segments. A significant share of agricultural production is still marketed as raw material.

In this context, the development of the food industry, investments in storage infrastructure, and the consolidation of associative structures become essential factors for balancing the economic relationship between the different links of the agri-food chain.

(Photo: Freepik)