Potential for clustering in the agricultural sector assessment: the case of Slovakia

Agricultural activity has a long tradition in Slovakia. One of the ways to contribute to the development and enhance the competitiveness of this sector is to involve various agricultural interests in cluster cooperation. In the world, there are several known cases of clusters in the agricultural sector, which significantly contribute to regional competitiveness. In that context, the main aim of this paper is to assess the current state of conditions necessary for the emergence of clusters in the agricultural sector in Slovakia and identify key regions eligible for the establishment of agricultural clusters. The methods used are: Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Localization Coefficient (LQ). Theresults obtained were transformed into a BCG matrix. DEA was used to assess regional efficiency and LQ to assess regional potential for clustering. Using of these methods created the base for the cluster potential identification in the most efficient region from the point of view of agriculture. The uniqueness of this paper is the focus on a new area of clustering, which could contribute to increased regional competitiveness in the Slovak Republic. From the point of view of the Slovak agricultural efficiency assessment, the most important regions for clustering are Nitra and Trnava. From the point of view of the cluster potential assessment, the appropriate regions are Nitra and Prešov. Based on the results of the applied methods, basic preconditions for clustering have been created mainly in the Nitra region.