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– We have registered record results in the export of cereals in the worst moments of the crisis. The fruit also went well, the apple had a record price, large quantities were exported, especially to Russia, which is our main destination for that fruit, says Branislav Nedimović, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, in an interview for ” Blic “.
According to Minister Nedimović, although the entire world has been affected and paralyzed by the epidemic of the corona virus, we can freely say that this year has been good, even better than many previous ones.
The pandemic disrupted all social flows, certainly the economy. How has the import-export of goods worked since March?
– I’d say great. You could, and still can, see it for yourself on the shelves, which were full at all times. We resolved two or three foods, like yeast, that were missing at one point, in 24 hours. Therefore, food is undoubtedly one of the resources whose trade has worked quite well outside the borders of Serbia. I am especially glad that as a country we have shown that when the world market collapsed like a tower of cards, we got out of it flawlessly. Of course, we will also feel the global consequences, but we welcomed the first wave almost perfectly.
When we declared an epidemic, it turned out that we had sufficient stocks of goods both for our needs and for export. How will Serbian agriculture work in the next period?
– When it comes to stocks, no one should worry. There is food for the next two years, so everything stops now. This, of course, will not happen, so this year was also excellent in terms of yield, good yields are recorded, the quality of the crops is good, the price is good. For not telling fairy tales, the difficulties of some surely will be, but now we have paid more attention to strategic sectors, so I do not expect big problems.
How are small producers doing in all of this? How much are they affected and what can they expect?
– During the state of emergency, more precisely in the last two weeks, the early vegetable growers had some problems due to the closing of the markets, but we reacted immediately and transferred more than two billion dinars directly to the farmers’ accounts as state aid. No one in the world can tell you for sure what awaits us tomorrow, but I can do one thing: the state will not leave any of its citizens without help.
How much does Serbia produce organic food, what is more, how much do we export?
– It is one of the most profitable sectors of agriculture, which grows every year. In the previous three years alone, there has been an increase in the organic production area by almost 50 percent. Cereals and fruits predominate, both raw and dried and freeze-dried. We have an increase in the value of exports, but also in the number of producers, of which there are already more than 6,000. This is a special indicator that our farmers know very well what the future of agriculture is. The highest paying markets have also recognized Serbian organic food, so I think that with the subsidies, which we have multiplied this year, we can expect more significant achievements in the near future. There is interest from both the Scandinavian countries and the East, which has not yet shown its full potential when it comes to the demand for good organic food.
Is the State preparing a new aid package for the agricultural sector and for what period?
– We monitor the situation in agriculture every day, as we have done so far. The last intervention was related to the purchase of fattening cattle, for which we reserved two million euros, that is, the purchase price of 2.15 euros per kilo. That is a really good price and it helps our breeders. Nothing will be different in the next period for each sector that shows that it needs support. Food is an extremely important strategic resource and that is how we will treat those who make it.
How much has the agricultural sector changed compared to the period when you started managing it?
– I think we’ve changed a lot. It is a fact that we started from less and that we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I am glad that we have already come a long way. What can I tell you, when even access to EU money for farmers, IPARD worth 225 million euros, did not seem necessary to solve for eight years, until we showed everyone that we have finished it in just six months . Someone offers you free money for your people and a meaningful word to hear from you, like in a silent movie. Not to mention that we have increased the domestic budget for grants almost two and a half times in just four years, from 19 to 43 billion dinars. Even when we kept the national laboratories, the key links in the food safety system, literally in the weeds for ten years, no one found it necessary to take the matter to the end. We also fixed that in just two years and obtained laboratories of the highest world rank that help us a lot even now during the epidemic. Almost 60 percent of all sample testing for coronavirus is performed in our laboratories, which we repackage for that purpose within 24 hours. However, as my greatest pride, I would like to highlight how we reacted during the state of emergency. It involved farmers going to the field to finish planting unhindered in a regular period, until market intervention, but also regular subsidy payments, without a single day of delay to all who had the appropriate applications.
With citizens about everyday problems
You often talk to citizens, what are the problems that they bring you and what bothers them from your department?
– Our people are very modest and that really only motivates me more to help them as I know and can. These are not big topics, but everyday life. How and where to sell your goods, who to turn to for help in production … That is why a man has the desire to do something more for his people, to go one step further than we thought we could. Only then does this job make sense.
Video: Nedimovic on Food Safety
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