State Initiatives

1) No Plans to Ban Grain Exports

January 25th, 2021, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/958100/ministarstvo

The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that it is not planning to introduce a measure that would ban the export of grain, including corn, this year. They also announced that the state is not planning to introduce any new export taxes. The Ministry is continuing to monitor global agricultural markets for any relevant developments.

This year, Serbia’s corn harvest amounted to 8 million tons, 9.6% higher year-on-year and 29.4% higher than the 10-year average.

2) Registration in the State Viticulture Register Obligatory for Most Grape

Producers

January 25th, 2021, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/958150/upis-vinogradarski-registar-obaveza-sve-vlasnike

The Ministry of Agriculture is reminding grape producers that the Law on Wine requires all grape producers who own, lease or cooperate on at least 0.1 hectares of vineyards and put grapes onto the market to register in the state’s Viticultural Register. Keeping the Register up-to-date is of great importance for the country as it is an obligation of the European Union (EU) and is used to determine the level of financing Serbia’s wine-growing sector receives.

3) Catalogues of Products with the Authentic Serbia Designation Published

January 25th, 2021, http://www.tanjug.rs/full-view_en.aspx?izb=624983

The Ministry of Agriculture has prepared a catalogue of agricultural and food products that carry the Authentic Serbia designation of geographic origin as well as a separate catalogue of wines with protected designations of geographic origin. The catalogues were designed as a part of a twinning project that aims to strengthen the implementation and development of legislation in the field of organic production and agricultural and food product quality policies.

A designation of geographic origin is one of the best tools for branding food and beverages. The designations, shown on packaging, lend exclusivity to a product and serve as a reference to a certain region or location as well as to all the specific traits of the product.

4) Call for Investment Incentives for Field Electrification

January 21st, 2021, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/956905/uprava-agrarna

The Directorate for Agrarian Payments of the Ministry of Agriculture have announced a public call for applications to receive investment support related to the physical properties of agricultural farms, specifically the electrification of fields. Applications will be accepted between February 1, 2021 and September 1, 2021. Under the measure, the state will finance up to 90% (up to RSD 800,000) of the costs for the procurement of cables and other accompanying equipment, the preparation of terrain and connection to an electric network. To qualify, applicants must be registered in the Register of Agricultural Holdings and in an active status.

5) 5,000 Hectares of State-Owned Arable Land Leased in the Last Three Years

January 12th, 2021, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/954028/uprava

The state has leased more than 5,000 hectares of parched land in the last three years, thereby contributing to an increase of agricultural production, new investments and employment in the country. This has been especially noticeable in the fruit and vine sectors. State-owned arable land is available to be leased to any registered agricultural farm that is in an active status, based on public competitions that are organized by local self-governments. Under the state program, land is initially leased for a five-year period, after which prices are determined by local market conditions.

6) Sheep Breeders Received No State Livestock Subsidies in 2020

January 11th, 2021, http://www.stips.minpolj.gov.rs/srl/vest/ovcari-jos-cekaju-subvencije

The Ministry of Agriculture has paid out RSD 18.3 billion in livestock production incentives in the past year, including RSD 8.2 billion for the improvement of the genetic composition and RSD 2.9 billion for fattening heads. Most of this was allocated for cattle breeding, and sheep breeders received no such incentives in 2020.

7) President Vucic Announces Increased Subsidies for Tractor Procurement

January 11th, 2021, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/953793/velike

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has announced that the state will make investments into the renewal of agricultural machinery this year. This includes an increase in the amount of subsidies for the procurement of tractors. In his announcement, the President noted that the state has already co-financed the procurement of 2,600 new tractors. He hopes to increase that number to 20,000 over the coming years.

8) Push to Make Agricultural E-Market Platform Permanent

January 8th, 2021, https://www.novosti.rs/vesti/ekonomija/952452/sir-stize

In April 2020, an e-market platform was launched to help farmers sell their products amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it is hoped that this platform will grow into a permanent interactive Serbian market. So far, more than 2,000 small producers from all over the country have been registered on the digital market, which offers registered producers with more advanced ways to sell their products and gain the best market price possible as well as close agreements with small distribution chains.

Currently, the platform covers most of Serbia and offers jams, cheeses, spreads, meat products, wine, brandy, beer and home-made juices, among other food products.

9) RSD 150 Million Export Promotion Program Announced

January 6th, 2021, https://agrosmart.net/2021/01/06/ras-obezbedio-150-miliona-za-prehrambenu-i-drvnu-industriju/

The Development Agency of Serbia (RAS) has announced a public call for companies to join in a state program aimed at promoting food and wood exports. To this end, RAS has allocated RSD 150 million for the program, with the hope that food and wood producers will increase their revenues from exports, boost existing production capacities and improve their overall competitiveness. The program includes a grant component aimed at co-financing consulting support and logistics related to exhibiting at international fairs. Applications will be accepted until February 23, 2021.