Structural changes in the German agri-food complex: the end of small and medium enterprises?

Abstract

The article describes the concentration process, structural changes and competitiveness in the German agri-food sector over the last decade. This descriptive analysis aims to outline the developments at the individual stages of the food chain and to identify the challenges the sector will face in the upcoming years. The study is based mainly on the data published by the German Statistical Office and the ZMP1, and the evaluation of the primary and secondary literature sources. The data shows that small and medium-sized enterprises were sustainable alongside the large ones and have played an important role in the German agriculture and food processing sectors in the recent years. Various business strategies can be expected to make the coexistence of small and large-scale enterprises also possible in the future.

Keywords

• business structure
• structural change
• concentration process