The Rulebook on Amendments to the Rulebook on the Use of Incentives for Organic Livestock Production, which entered into force on December 31, 2022, introduces one novelty, namely the application for subsidies based on public calls.
As explained to Biznis.rs by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, in the future, instead of direct submission of requests and applications for exercising the right to incentives within the prescribed deadlines, submission of requests, i.e. applications, will be based on public invitations.
“The submission of requests, i.e. applications based on public invitations, should improve and speed up the administrative process of receiving and processing requests, in order to improve efficiency in the payment of funds, where in this way the request processing procedure will be shortened and ensure that all cases that are received during the year in the same year and the payments,” our interlocutors explain.
The producers of organic products will, as the relevant ministry points out, be informed in a timely manner about upcoming public calls, in order to prepare all the necessary documentation, so that the relevant information will be published on the official website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, as well as on the official website Administration for Agrarian Payments.
The most valuable export to Germany is over 18 million euros
Starting in 2012, data on the export of organic products became part of the information system of the Customs Administration. Based on this data, it is possible to monitor data on the type, quantity and value of organic products exported from the territory of the Republic of Serbia.
“In 2021, the highest export value of organic products was achieved so far in the amount of 57.4 million euros, which is an increase of 53 percent compared to the previous year, when it was 37.5 million euros,” according to our interlocutors.
Exports to Germany were worth 18.3 million euros and accounted for as much as 31.36 percent of the total value of exports of organic products from Serbia. This is followed by exports to the United States worth 7.7 million euros (13.5 percent of the total value of exports), then to the Netherlands (6.9 million euros), France (4.2 million euros), Poland (3.5 million euros ), Canada (3.4 million euros) and Italy (2.8 million euros).
By type of product, the highest value was achieved by the export of frozen fruit (78.4 percent), namely frozen raspberries (32.5 million euros), frozen blackberries (5 million euros) and frozen cherries (3.4 million euros).
The total value of frozen fruit exports was 45 million euros. In addition to fruit products, the export of medicinal and aromatic herbs, cereals, essential oil, baby food, and integral flour was also achieved.
In her statement to Biznis.rs, the Secretary General of the National Association for the Development of Organic Production “Serbia Organica”, Ivana Simić reminded that organic production uses old traditional knowledge, but also numerous innovations and scientific achievements that can help agriculture to overcome existing challenges, provide food security, will contribute to improving the competitiveness of producers and domestic agriculture as a whole, as well as the economic development of rural areas.
“Demand for organic products is growing intensively, both everywhere in the world and in Serbia, because consumer awareness is growing that these products are grown in harmony with nature, which ensures not only the health of individuals but also society as a whole.” Last year, ‘Serbia Organica’ launched the promotional campaign ‘I think of us – I buy organic’, with the aim of drawing the attention of consumers and the general public to the value of organic production, in order to encourage the consumption of organic products and the development of organic production in Serbia, one of the most promising branch of Serbian agriculture, but also to encourage decision-makers that organic production must be supported, in order to ensure its stable growth and development”, stated our interlocutor.
For organic livestock production, more than 400 million dinars
During the year 2022, the largest budget for organic production was secured so far, which amounted to 577.7 million dinars, of which 170 million dinars were earmarked for organic crop production, while 407.7 million dinars were set aside for organic livestock production.
“Incentives could be achieved by producers whose production is in the conversion period (the period of time needed to switch from conventional production to organic production), as well as producers whose production has organic status,” explained the Ministry of Agriculture, Biznis writes.
