Slovenia addresses food waste and agricultural supply chain challenges

Stakeholders at the AGRA fair in Slovenia have called for comprehensive action across the entire food supply chain to combat food waste. In Slovenia, the average individual discards 79 kilograms of food annually, with households accounting for nearly 44 percent of all food waste.

To meet ambitious reduction goals by 2030, the Slovenian Ministry of Agriculture is developing a certificate for reduced food waste to encourage measurable organizational targets. The state is also increasing logistical support, such as vehicles and fuel, for humanitarian organizations that collect surplus food from retailers.

Retailers like Lidl Slovenia are implementing strategies such as more precise ordering, price reductions on items nearing expiration, and donating surpluses, covering over 90 percent of their stores. Additionally, social enterprises are exploring models to repurpose surplus food into new products.

Parallel challenges persist in the dairy sector, where Slovenian milk purchase prices have remained approximately three cents below the European average since 2013. Producers face significant financial pressure, with data indicating that many farmers have operated below their production costs for 30 months, hindering necessary investments in technology and animal welfare.