NEDIMOVIC: State Envisages Two Sets of Measures for Helping Agriculture During the Crisis

Serbian Agriculture Minister Branislav Nedimovic said on TV B92 that the state envisaged two sets of measures for helping agriculture during the crisis caused by the epidemic.

According to him, the general measures cover all agricultural subjects and producers, whereas sector measures pertain to financial support, for example, to agriculturists jeopardized by the closing of the green markets.

– It is very important to help vegetable growers and small dairy producers, whereas grain farmers carry out their activities normally and the harvest took place this autumn – Nedimovic said.

He adds that large dairies operate normally and that they have taken over large quantities of milk from small producers, whereas the only problem for grain farmers is restricted movement.

As he says, frost has damaged the apricots, which has nothing to do with coronavirus, but there are no problems with apple, strawberry or raspberry yields.

Nedimovic says that there have been problems with veterinarian services, but that they've been solved with the help of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

According to the minister, the closing of the green markets has not yet had a substantial negative effect. He expressed hope that the bans would be revoked before mass quantities of produce arrive.

– As per medical doctors' advice, the green markets were closed on Sunday. We kept them open as long as we could, but people's health is the priority. There will be special sector measures of help for vegetable farmers, in the form of financial support – he said.

He announced the establishment of an electronic platform for the producers who cannot put their goods on the market at the moment.

The minister pointed out that there were problems in the beekeeping sector, as it is primarily the domain of people over 70, whose movement is now severely restricted.

Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srbije

Branislav Nedimović

coronavirus

help to agriculture

apples

strawberries

raspberries

apricots

closing of green markets

beekeeping