€10m for fruit growing in southern Serbia

Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Sasa Dragin and Danish Ambassador to Serbia Mette Kjuel Nielsen signed an agreement on cooperation in the field of agriculture that will encourage the development of fruit production in four districts in southern Serbia.

Dragin said at a press conference after signing the document that the programme provides the funding for fruit production in Jablanica, Nisava, Pcinja and Toplica Districts in the amount of €10 million.

He announced that 160 projects from these districts will be supported with a €5.4 million donation by the Danish government while the rest will be financed by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Dragin stressed that it is important to encourage the development of fruit growing in this part of Serbia.

Kjuel Nielsen specified that the agreement between Serbia and Denmark should become operational in autumn this year.

She outlined that the goal of the programme is to create new jobs and improve fruit growing revenues, as well as to promote knowledge and application of European standards in the field of fruit growing, which will increase the value of products and their exports.