BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
The goal of the SRFP program is to increase income in rural areas of Serbia by providing access to soft loans and by strengthening the capacity of MSMEs operating throughout the country.
11) Ministry of Agriculture Allocates USD 37.5 Billion in Investment Incentives March 8th, 2021, https://agrosmart.net/2021/03/08/za-podsticaje-u-poljoprivredi-375-milijardi-dinara/
The Ministry of Agriculture is allocating RSD 37.503 billion for incentives this year and, in cooperation with the World Bank, will implement a program to enable farmers to procure fixed assets using some of these funds. Under the program, 50% of the investment cost will be covered from program funds, 40% will be covered in the form of a loan from a commercial bank and 10% will be required from farmers as a down payment.
12) Serbia Prepares a Program for IPARD 3 Funds March 3rd, 2021, https://www.ekapija.com/en/financing/3188920/serbia-first-in-the-region
Serbia is the first country in the region to prepare a program for accessing the European Union (EU)’s new IPARD 3 funds. The funds are intended to help in the construction of roads, sewer systems and other rural infrastructure aimed at supporting agricultural production. Funds will also be used to support the work and quality of life of Serbian farmers. In total, an estimated EUR 225 million in subsidies are planned for IPARD programs for 2021. This will support an estimated 150 projects across Serbia.
13) New Cold Storage Facility in Topola Highlight IPARD Success March 1st, 2021, http://uap.gov.rs/primeri-dobrih-ipard-projekata-u-topoli-otvorena-nova-hladnjaca/
Agriculture Minister Branislav Nedimovic recently visited Topola to view the results of an IPARD-funded cold storage facility. The facility contains a modern 4,000-square meter cooler that has the capacity to refrigerate 2,500 tons of apples and other fruits. A total of RSD 215 million was invested in the cooler. So far, it has given a return of RSD 107 million. Minister Nedimovic stated that the facility is a good example of how IPARD funds can be used successfully to launch new and important initiatives in the agricultural sector. The Minister also added that EUR 225 million are in IPARD funding for Serbian farmers and that 150 project using IPARD funds have already been completed.
Private Sector 14) Increased Interest in Corn, Sunflower and Soybean Production March 24th, 2021, https://www.danas.rs/ekonomija/rast-cena-kukuruza-suncokreta
There has been an increased interest on the part of farmers in the sowing of corn, sunflowers and soybeans. This is due to an increased demand worldwide for corn (especially from China), the stable yield and demand for sunflower products and the growing price of soybeans in various markets. Sowing of these crops is expected to begin shortly, once soil moisture levels allow machines to enter fields and the soil temperature rises about 10 degrees.
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