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After Nearly 30 Years of Raising Cattle in Croatia, the Ovanin Family Faced Jokes when Changing Activities, Increased Their Pumpkin Farming Tenfold, and Won Four Medals for Pumpkin Seed Oil
In Petrinja, Croatia, the Ovanin family spent almost three decades supporting part of their property through cattle raising and milk production. The routine began to change when prices paid to producers failed to keep pace with rising costs, prompting Kristijan Ovanin to seek an activity that could generate more value on the farm.
The transition drew attention because the new enterprise began on just half a hectare. Kristijan decided to plant hulless pumpkins, a raw material used to produce a dark oil known as “black gold”. This choice sparked skepticism and even jokes among those who doubted that the crop could become a viable alternative to milk production.
The results began to show over the years. The family expanded their farm to five hectares, producing approximately 400 liters of oil per year and earning four medals in specialized evaluations held in Croatia.
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Milk Production Wanes After Nearly 30 Years on the Ovanin Family Property
Kristijan took over the family property years before the definitive shift in activities. At that moment, the Ovanins were still raising cows and maintaining a milk production that had been a part of their family routine for nearly three decades.
However, the economic landscape made this activity increasingly unappealing. According to Kristijan, the prices they received for milk were low, while rising costs reduced the margin available to maintain the herd.
The producer also wanted to change how he operated. Instead of merely selling raw materials and relying on market-determined prices, he aimed to transform what he produced into finished products and capture a larger share of the revenue generated on the farm.
The change gained momentum after the earthquake that struck Petrinja on December 29, 2020. The cows were sold, pig farming increased, and the family began looking for a new crop to occupy part of the available land.
It was in this context that the first pumpkins were planted.
Pumpkin Farming Began on Half a Hectare and Expanded to Five as the Family Persisted in the New Business
The initial area dedicated to the crop was approximately half a hectare. The Ovanins chose to plant hulless pumpkins, locally known as “bundeve golice,” a variety primarily valued for its high-quality seeds.
This decision raised eyebrows among some people close to them. Some joked about the idea of abandoning part of their former activities to invest in pumpkins, especially given the family’s extensive experience in milk production.
Kristijan pressed on with the project and gradually expanded the cultivated area. The initial half hectare grew to five hectares, increasing the cultivated area tenfold from the start.
The fields are located in Novo Farkašić, about 12 kilometers from the producer’s home. Expansion remains in the family’s plans, and Kristijan is searching for new land to further increase cultivation.
The property maintained other activities during this process. The family still cultivates corn, barley, and triticale, primarily for animal feed, while continuing pig farming.
However, the pumpkins began to offer something different: the potential to transform a raw material produced on the farm into a finished food product sold directly to consumers.
Pumpkin seeds are roasted, pressed, and transformed into what’s known as “black gold”
The product that changed the dynamics of the property is made from seeds taken from pumpkins. After processing, they produce a very dark green oil that can appear nearly black depending on the lighting.
This appearance helped popularize the nickname “black gold”.
Production requires a significant amount of seeds. To obtain approximately one liter of oil, about two kilograms of dried seeds are needed.
Each hectare can provide between 1,000 and 1,200 kilograms of fresh seeds. After the drying stage, this volume loses about half of its weight, amounting to around 500 kilograms.
With the five hectares currently cultivated, Kristijan produces about 400 liters of oil per year. According to him, all of this quantity finds buyers and reaches the public directly through the property or during fairs.
Four hundred liters of oil is equivalent to about 1,600 bottles of 250 milliliters
The volume produced annually helps to showcase the scale achieved by the business. The 400 liters correspond to approximately 1,600 bottles of 250 milliliters.
As a benchmark in the regional market, a package of this size with high-quality oil can exceed 1,000 dinars in Serbia. Multiplied by 1,600 units, this value would surpass 1.6 million dinars.
This comparison does not represent the revenue reported by the family, but it illustrates the commercial potential of a production of this scale. The price charged by the Ovanin family may vary depending on the sales channel and market conditions.
The main differentiator lies in transforming the seed into a finished product. Instead of only selling the agricultural output, the family also participates in the processing stage and direct sales to consumers.
The family decided to produce pure oil and rejected the mixture with sunflower oil
Quality has become central since the first bottles. Kristijan states that there are different types of seed oils on the market and that some products might be mixed with sunflower oil.
The Ovanin family chose to produce oil made exclusively from their own pumpkin seeds. The process includes roasting and mechanical pressing, stages used to extract oil while maintaining the characteristics desired by the family.
Kristijan considers aroma, flavor, and color some of the elements that help identify the quality of the product. This concern has accompanied the expansion of the plantation and has become part of the strategy used to differentiate the oil sold by the property.
The care also led the family to participate in specialized evaluations conducted in Croatia.
Ovanin oil has won two gold medals and two silver medals in four years
In the last four years that the family has considered, the oil produced on their property received two gold medals and two silver medals at an exhibition dedicated to seed oils held in Varaždin.
The recognition added a new dimension to the project that started on half a hectare. The same plantation that had been met with jokes began supplying an award-winning production sold directly to consumers.
The medals also reinforced Kristijan’s decision to abandon exclusive reliance on milk and invest in a processed product made on the property itself.
The change did not eliminate all previous agricultural activities, but it created a new avenue capable of combining cultivation, processing, and marketing within the same family business.
The Ovanin family is now preparing a tasting room and new products made from seeds
The Ovanins’ plans do not end with the sale of oil bottles. The family intends to create a tasting room on their property to enhance the visitor experience and showcase products made from pumpkins.
The seeds are also expected to be used in other ways. Marica, Kristijan’s mother, plans to make bread with flour produced from them, while Ivana, the producer’s fiancée, takes part in the day-to-day activities and plans to make breads and rolls.
Ivana’s connection to the business began before her relationship with Kristijan. She was a customer of the family’s products and, over time, became directly involved in the operations.
As he looks for new areas to expand his plantation, Kristijan is preparing the next phase of a business that was born after nearly 30 years of dairy production. The cultivation that started on just half a hectare now occupies five hectares, produces about 400 liters of oil per year, and has placed the family among award-winning producers in Croatia.
What do you think was more important for the Ovanin family: abandoning a traditional activity that no longer provided returns or insisting on a new business despite being the target of jokes? Share your opinion!
