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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Ministry aims to make agriculture profitable

Belgrade, 25 March 2004

Serbian Minister of Agriculture Ivana Dulic-Markovic presented today the Ministry's working plan for the forthcoming period and stressed that the goal is to make agriculture a profitable part of Serbia's economy.

Ivana Dulic-Markovic

Ivana Dulic-Markovic told a press conference that the Ministry will be reconstructed and turned into a functional service of the state and agriculture. To that end, veterinary medicine and phytosanitary directorates have already been set up as special organs. The woods and water directorates are again part of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Minister said that the agriculture budget adopted for 2004 is very encouraging, and that the Ministry's obligation is to use it effectively. The size of the budget was established according to the Ministry's programme plans for this year, which are based on promotion of the production structure. The Ministry will work to increase cattle raising, cultivation of industrial plants and growing of fruit and wine.

The Ministry's programme plans also include the introduction of agriculture loans, registration of agricultural producers, investment of non-repayable funds in rural development, the establishment of guarantee funds for agriculture loans, and the improvement of efficiency of veterinary and phytosanitary services.

Ivana Dulic-Markovic pointed out to the necessity of establishing a strong analytical sector, which will allow for decisions to be made on the grounds of databases and trends. In order to achieve that, the Ministry must create a good database, which will help in the preparation of an agricultural development strategy, which is expected to be presented within six months.

The Ministry also plans to forward to the Serbian parliament a set of agricultural laws, including laws on agriculture, agricultural land, cattle raising, registration of farms, cooperatives, and benefits and allowances in agriculture. The Ministry will also prepare a set of laws on veterinary medicine, crop protection and seed growing.