Abstract:In this paper, we investigated the level of competitiveness of the processed food sector of the Danube region countries, in order to show the existence of comparative advantage and the correlation of exports. We used the Balassa (RCA-revealed comparative advantage) index and TPI (trade performance indexes). At first, using the Pearson and Spearman index, we examined the existence of correlations between the processed food sector of the Danube countries. Then, we applied the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test to further compare the value and answered the question: between which Danube countries are there significant differences? With the study, we found that the distribution of the RCA index in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Moldova and Slovenia deviates from normality. We also found the existence of a strong correlation of the RCA index of the Czech Republic with Romania, Hungary with Moldova and Serbia, Moldova with Serbia and Bulgaria with Ukraine. Finally, we concluded that the development of trade in the countries of the Danube region requires the participation of all relevant interest groups and could play an important role in providing faster economic development, that is in achieving sustainable development of the countries, with the sustainable use of available resources. OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 6977

The first part of the paper, regards to some socio-demographic determinants of households. They represent substantial indicators of the overall condition of a community. As a social element, are determined by the characteristics of the population that is the basic entity of observation in them. Status and trends of socio-demographic characteristics of households in Serbia in recent decades is the result of numerous factors. General decline in populationdepopulation, migration to the city, crumbling of properties, decrease of family and marriage importance, marriage in later years, changes in structure of the households in terms of division on agricultural, non-agricultural, mixed, etc. are just a few of the causes that determine the current state and movement of sociodemographic characteristics of households in Serbia.In second part of the paper the authors point to potentials of rural areas as important factors for rural development are present. Potentials in regions and some areas are unfavourable which slows down the development of rural areas. In the previous period, trends of uneven and unbalanced rural development are present. The differences in the rural development of the region and the country are obvious. It is therefore necessary to reduce of differences in the level of development in which a special role is played by the household.

In very short time big changes occurred in the agrarian structure, the structure of the population, territorial and socio-economical deployment. According to that, there is an obvious discontinuity in the development of rural areas. Pointing out the resources of the region during transformation and rapid development of agriculture, rural development and development of rural regions. The largest part of the development potential based on resource utilization is precisely located in the northern region of Montenegro. The basic method used in this paper is descriptive statistics applied to the collection of relevant data resources of the region, document analysis, comparison and synthesis. The signi icant changes in socio-demographics appeared, an increasing part of the elders and the decreasing of the youth, and decreasing the part of the agricultural population. The main leading factors of the development of agriculture and rural development are the family farms in the region, which is about 26.000 and the resources of land, livestock, and labor. The speci icity of the region is re lected in the changing structure of the agricultural population, socioeconomic , demographic, territorial distribution of the population, and migration. The signi icant differences in the development of agriculture and rural development in the region are also present. Resources are not fully utilized in order to reduce the differences in the development of the region and to accelerate the development of less developed areas. Also, the regional development of the areas is needed for measures and program of balanced development of local self-government.

SUMMARYMilk shortage is a major problem of the dairy industry, both in Serbia and in neighboring countries. Although there is evidence of a growing demand for these products, there are still a number of limitations that make these resources largely untapped in Serbia. The lack of processing facilities of companies further reduces the economic effect, which could be realized with a greater degree of product finalization. This situation as a result has inefficiency in operations and weak competitiveness in exports.This paper analyses the problems of financing the dairy sector in rural areas of the Republic of Serbia in Pešter region and respectively three administrative units belonging to Raška and Zlatibor district. Most enterprises in dairy sector of Pešter are small and family ones, which are often classified as micro-enterprises. Survival, growth and development of micro, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurs, that are the most effective segment of the economy in all world countries, primarily is determined by funding opportunities from favorable sources. The number of available funding sources in Serbia for these companies is small, so the financing is one of the most painful issues. The importance of these businesses for local communities reflects in the creation of employment opportunities, primarily low-skilled workers, women and the young. This contributes to rural development and poverty reduction in national economies.