08/2020
#
59 S e r b i a Agriculture Bulletin 5,200 hectares of neglected state-owned agricultural land leased Al Dahra to invest EUR 173 million in agricultural complexes Cattle exports to Turkey expected to resume shortly
Agro Belgrade 2021 Fair to be held in January
All materials are published “as is� and are the property of their respective owners.
Agriculture Finance Bulletin Edition #59, August 2020
Contents State Initiatives ........................................................................................................... 2 1)
5,200 hectares of neglected state-owned agricultural land leased ................................................ 2
Foreign Aid ................................................................................................................. 2 2) 3)
New satellite images to improve land administration in Serbia ..................................................... 2 Al Dahra to invest EUR 173 million in agricultural complexes ........................................................ 2
Private Sector.............................................................................................................. 3 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10) 11) 12) 13) 14) 15) 16) 17)
Cattle exports to Turkey expected to resume shortly ..................................................................... 3 Serbian plums ripe to enter Middle Eastern markets ..................................................................... 3 Beekeepers looking for state assistance ......................................................................................... 3 Sunflower harvest impacted by drought, disease and poor planning ............................................ 3 Serbia wheat quality needs a boost ................................................................................................ 4 Chaotic agricultural privatization led to underdeveloped sector.................................................... 4 Agricultural product prices up 6.9% ................................................................................................ 4 20 dairy farms procure robots for automated milking.................................................................... 4 Agro Belgrade 2021 Fair to be held in January................................................................................ 5 AI research into better agricultural processes ................................................................................ 5 BioSense Accelerator 2020 announced ........................................................................................... 5 EU lifts additional control measures on Serbian raspberry exports ................................................ 5 Serbian agriculture weathering the COVID-19 storm well .............................................................. 6 Important cattle seed depot collapses ............................................................................................ 6
Note: The Agriculture Bulletin presents a monthly roundup of headlines and news stories related to Serbia’s agricultural sector. This bulletin is prepared by Business & Finance Consulting—a Swiss-based development finance consulting company. Currently, BFC is implementing “Development of Financial System in Rural Areas in Serbia” programme for KfW. Read more »
BFC Max-Högger-Strasse 6 CH-8048 Zurich, Switzerland
Phone: +41 44 784 22 22 Fax: +41 44 784 23 23
info@bfconsulting.com www.bfconsulting.com
BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
State Initiatives 1)
5,200 hectares of neglected state-owned agricultural land leased
August 10th, 2020, https://www.021.rs/story/Info/Biznis-i-ekonomija/250393/
A special mechanism to lease 5,200 hectares of state-owned agricultural land that has not been leased or used in the last three years has been enacted to allow farmers to work the land. The land will be leased to farmers at a price of RSD 0 for a period of five years in order to allow them to rehabilitate the land. After that period, the land will be leased at a price of 40% of the average lease price for land between 10 and 50 hectares and a price of 60% of the average lease price for land of more than 50 hectares. Land of under 10 hectares will be leased for a price of 10% of the average lease price. Farmers that receive land under this mechanism are obliged to rehabilitate the land and continue to use it for agricultural production.
Foreign Aid 2)
New satellite images to improve land administration in Serbia
August 11th, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2972022/serbia
The Republic Geodetic Authority (RGA) is set to receive new high-resolution satellite images of Serbia as part of the Improvement of Land Administration in Serbia project. The satellite images will provide the most recent information on immovable property and is expected to help in the realization of a number of state projects. In particular, the new images will be compared against similar images from 2015/2016 and ensure that official registers are kept up-to-date as well as used to elaborate new development plans. This includes the preparation of projects of national importance in agriculture, water management, forestry, environmental protection, mining and energy. The Improvement of Land Administration in Serbia project is being implemented with the support of the World Bank.
3)
Al Dahra to invest EUR 173 million in agricultural complexes
August 9th, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2971992/al
Al Dahra has announced its intention to invest EUR 173 million for the construction of agriculturalindustrial complexes in the municipalities of Palilula and Surcin. The new construction of the complexes, expected to be completed by the end of 2022, will be carried out in two stages. In the first stage, four agricultural-industrial complexes – an animal feed processing plant, two new dairy farm complexes and an agricultural mechanization center complex – will be built. This stage will also include the construction of 15 independent biogas facilities. In the second stage, Al Dahra intends to reconstruct an existing animal feed factory, build a complex of ten hubs, invest in the infrastructure of Pancevacki Rit, clean and revitalize existing canal networks, build new modern systems of irrigation and draining and reconstruct existing production facilities.
Page 2
BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
Private Sector 4)
Cattle exports to Turkey expected to resume shortly
August 25th, 2020, http://www.agronews.rs/izvoz-junadi-u-tursku-na-vidiku/
It has been announced that cattle exports to Turkey are expected to resume in the near future. The announcement comes as a measure of relief for many Serbian cattle producers, although purchase prices for exported cattle still have yet to be determined. The number of Serbian cattle currently ready for export is estimated to be over 15,000.
5)
Serbian plums ripe to enter Middle Eastern markets
August 22nd, 2020, http://rs.n1info.com/Biznis/a632167/PKS-Izvoz-sljive-na-Bliski-istok-je-sansa-za-srpske-proizvodjace.html
Marko Selakovic, head of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce in Dubai, has found that Middle Eastern markets offer a very large potential for Serbian plums. In particular, he noted that that, in these markets, Serbian plum exporters can take advantage of markets with duty-free or only a symbolic VAT. At the same time, Mr. Selakovic was careful to caution exporters to take care to supply these markets with high-quality products and packaging as well as provide on-time delivery in order ensure that they can establish a strong position. Serbia is among the global leaders in plum production, with more than 558,930 tons of plums produced in 2019.
6)
Beekeepers looking for state assistance
August 21st, 2020, http://www.agronews.rs/pcelari-traze-pomoc-drzave/
Rodoljub Zivadinovic, president of the Association of Beekeeping Organizations of Serbia, has appealed for state help to speed up the payment of subsidies to beekeepers in this difficult year. Although the year started off promising for the sector, waves of bad weather have drastically reduced this year’s honey production. In fact, honey production has dropped to almost nothing in some areas. Given the large financial losses from this year’s poor performance, a large number of beekeepers are expected to have significant issues to survive and need state support.
7)
Sunflower harvest impacted by drought, disease and poor planning
August 19th, 2020, https://www.danas.rs/ekonomija/u-srbiji-kisa-zaustavila-zetvu-suncokreta-prinos-ranih-sorti-slab/
The yield of sunflowers will be weaker on average this year due a combination of disease, inappropriate crop rotation and lower than normal rain amounts. This has resulted in yields per hectare ranging from 2 tons to 4 tons, with an average of 3.1-3.2 tons per hectare. Oil mills in the country are expected to procure much of the sunflower harvest this year and are likely to pay better prices than exporters. The final purchase price is likely to be between RSD 35 and RSD 40 per kilogram, although this has yet to be determined. In total, approximately 220,000 hectares of sunflowers were sown in Serbia this year.
Page 3
BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
8)
Serbia wheat quality needs a boost
August 14th, 2020, http://www.stips.minpolj.gov.rs/srl/vest/kvalitet-domaceg-zita-je-neophodno-sto-pre-poboljsati
Experts on Serbia’s wheat market are arguing that the quality of grain production needs to be improved as soon as possible. This includes the introduction of state measures regarding the use of quality seeds. In an open letter, the experts note that there are options for Serbian wheat producers to take advantage of, especially as France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain are producing less wheat than before. Moreover, they argue that wheat markets (including wheat prices) are relatively stable. If Serbian wheat producers can boost the quality of their production, they have a good opportunity to take advantage of new opportunities. They implore the state to take action to help wheat producers in this regard. If not, Serbian wheat production will likely fall behind that of similar countries that do receive state support such as Croatia, Hungary and Romania.
9)
Chaotic agricultural privatization led to underdeveloped sector
August 12th, 2020, https://www.021.rs/story/Info/Biznis-i-ekonomija/250518/Haoticna-privatizacija-poljoprivrednih-firmi.html
Agro-economic analyst Milan Prostran has determined that the privatization process of agricultural firms in Serbia has been chaotic and resulted in the agricultural sector underperforming and becoming underdeveloped overall. In particular, the expert notes that the share of agriculture in gross domestic product (GDP) in 2000 was about 19% but is now only about 15%. This decline is because the sale of agricultural companies and plants was not well organized, resulting in the collapse of the processing industry. This, in turn, led to the devaluation of agricultural land. As individuals and companies bought up agricultural land, there was no condition requiring them to use the land. Now, there is much Serbian agricultural land that is unused and/or underdeveloped. In short, the sector has potential, but that potential has been hampered by ineffective privatization over the last 10-15 years.
10) Agricultural product prices up 6.9% August 12th, 2020, https://agrosmart.net/2020/08/12/cene-poljoprivrednih-proizvoda-za-godinu-dana-porasle-69-odsto/
The prices of agricultural products, including fishery products, in June 2020 were 6.9% higher year-onyear. The greatest price increases were for fruits (up 37.0%) and industrial plants (up 4.6%). At the same time, overall prices decreased by 1.4% as compared to May 2020. The largest decrease from May 2020 to June 2020 was in the price of cereals (down 3.2%). Overall in the first half of 2020, prices are up 0.7% on average, with the largest changes in livestock and poultry (up 4.6%) and industrial plants (up 2.4%) as compared to the first half of 2019.
11) 20 dairy farms procure robots for automated milking August 7th, 2020, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/907875/roboti
Approximately 20 Serbian dairy farms have procured robots to help in livestock development. The robots, procured with the assistance of state subsidies, are an expensive investment for farmers but are expected to result in more efficient production processes and higher quality products. The robots work by automating the milking process. In particular, they read specialized collars to determine which cows need to be milked and then automatically enticing them to the necessary location for milking. The actual milking process is also automated. Serbia is a leading milk producer and exporter in the region, with total annual milk production at approximately 1.5 billion liters. Page 4
BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
12) Agro Belgrade 2021 Fair to be held in January August 7th, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2970127/agro-belgrade-2021-at-belgrade-fair-in-january
Agro Belgrade 2021 International Fruit, Viticulture and Vegetable Fair has been announced for January 21-23, 2020. The fair will offer a chance for local and foreign exhibitors to display their goods and services and will also feature a number of round table discussions on modern technological solutions in agriculture, the use of European Union (EU) and local funds, organic production and certification, EU agricultural policies and other modern agricultural topics. The fair will also feature a B2B cafe for meetings between producers and buyers and traders from all corners of the world. The fair is the leading regional event in agriculture in the region, attracting more than 500 exhibitors and 35,000 guests last year.
13) AI research into better agricultural processes August 6th, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2969676/researchers
A team of researchers from the faculties of civil engineering and mathematics will develop algorithms based on artificial intelligence (AI) to enable useful and timely decision-making in agriculture. The research is being driven by available data, including satellite imagery. The research is being conducted as part of the Program for Development of AI Projects and will result in 12 projects being financed by the Science Fund.
14) BioSense Accelerator 2020 announced August 4th, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/start-up/2966035/biosense-accelerator-2020
After the success of the first BioSense Accelerator in 2019, the BioSense Institute has continued to support innovative entrepreneurs in developing ideas that will contribute to a digital transformation of agriculture in Serbia. This year, BioSense Accelerator 2020 will rely on the wide BioSense expertise in digital agriculture and the well-tested formula of business, technical and scientific support, intensive workshops and personal mentorship as well as introduce a partnership with the European B2B accelerator Startup Wise Guys. BioSense Accelerator 2020 will begin this autumn and last three months. It is designed for agriculturalrelated startups in the region that are in the early stage of development. The best teams will have an opportunity to take part in the big regional final event (Demo Days), where they will present their ideas in front of an international audience.
15) EU lifts additional control measures on Serbian raspberry exports August 3rd, 2020, https://www.ekapija.com/en/news/2965950/eu-lifts-additional-control
The Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed of the European Union (EU) has decided to lift additional control measures on the export of frozen raspberries from Serbia. The measures, which were enacted in April 2020 as a preventative measure against norovirus, had led to additional costs for exporters and lower revenues for producers.
Page 5
BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
16) Serbian agriculture weathering the COVID-19 storm well August 2nd, 2020, http://www.rtv.rs/sr_ci/ekonomija/poljoprivreda-rekordno-bez-problema-sa-koronom_1150011.html
well in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, Serbia has been able to meet domestic demand and still maintain agricultural exports. As an example, the Minister pointed out that Serbia recently produced three million tons of wheat, whereas domestic demand is only between 1.3 million tons and 1.4 million tons. The Minister is also pleased with the status of Serbian fruits, noting that the only issue has been the sprouting of some cherries due to heavier-than-normal rains in the spring. There have been some issues with beef exports as China and Turkey ceased all such imports amid the height of the pandemic, but this situation is now starting to improve as the situation slowly returns to normal around the world.
17) Important cattle seed depot collapses August 2nd, 2020, https://www.danas.rs/ekonomija/agrosmart-propao-svc-krnjaca-bikovi-zavrsili-u-klanici
The SVC Krnjaca depot, which holds a large supply of important cattle breeding seed, has collapsed. It is estimated that the collapse destroyed more than 500,000 doses for artificial insemination valued at more than EUR 1 million. The collapse is thought to be due to a gross error of management.
Page 6
Prepared by Business & Finance Consulting (BFC) www.bfconsulting.com Articles are taken directly from local sources without any fact-checking; they are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only. Business & Finance Consulting (BFC)’s editing is limited to providing a short summary in English of the texts, highlighting the main points of the original articles. All rights reserved by the authors. BFC takes no responsibility and does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, or assume any responsibility whatsoever for the content, accuracy, and reliability, or completeness of any of the articles.
