The Glozan-based company
Agroplod is one of the largest greenhouse producers in Serbia. They are developing their production on almost 5 ha of greenhouses, and they grow tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in 3 modern plastic greenhouses. Until two years ago, they used to export tomatoes to Russia, but the export was stopped due to insufficient quantities.
Janko Bohus, the company's owner, says in his interview for eKapija that they would have to export everything they produce to meet the needs of the Russian market, but that they don't want to lose local local clients.
They don't plan to expand further. It's hard enough, he says, to maintain what they already have. The state has no understanding towards producers, our interviewee claims, and doesn't grant any subsidies for greenhouse production, even though the yields and employment opportunities are considerable.
Tomato yield in a greenhouse is around 40 kg per m2, which is, Bohus emphasizes, 6 to 10 times more per hectare than in the production under open sky, and it is known that each degree of more efficient light usage means 1 kg per m2 more.
– We have invested in energy efficiency and built a pellet boiler in order to reduce the production expenses and expand the business, but we are still up against imported goods. The state needs to declare imported goods and protect the local production, so that consumers can see clearly where the goods are coming from and decide for themselves whether to buy goods from Serbia, Albania or from wherever.
Loans for raising greenhouses are practically non-existent, Jovic says.
– We're not counting the EUR 15,000 loans granted by certain institutions, since a 1 ha greenhouse requires at least a million euros.