In the master's thesis, we are examining the possibilities for more intensive market integration and quality positioning of fresh beef suppliers in the area of the ten municipalities of Upper Savinja Valley and the Šaleška Valley. In the considered area, the production of cattle for meat in grassland is the dominant product orientation, and sale channels are currently quite diversified. The sale of beef finishers to nearby slaughterhouses and local cooperatives prevails, attempts at quality positioning of products in the area under consideration are rare. They are limited to sale within the framework of the national quality label and the local brands of ecological breeding meat Ekodar. As part of the master's thesis, we collected data from the statistical and administrative sources about the movement of cattle for meat in our area. The acquisition of primary data took place on two levels. Through the method of in-depth interviews, we gained an insight into the experiences and strategies of key local actors: purchasers of cattle, representatives of the agricultural advisory service and the LAGs of Upper Savinja Valley and the Šaleška Valley. With the survey method, 51 samples of cattle were collected on the sample of the existing sale channels and approaches to the marketing of locally reared beef. The main purchaser is the Kmetijska zadruga Šaleška dolina, followed by Davidov hram, while other buyers are minimally represented in this area. The opinion of breeders is that it would be better to think about additional marketing approaches that would be more emphasized by local origin, higher quality. Considering that beef purchasers do not anticipate additional activities promoting local origin and short supply chains in their market positioning strategies, there are no concrete initiatives in the field, but it is more realistic to build on quality positioning through already established marketing channels.
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