Serbian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Goran Zivkov spoke today with Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management Josef Pröll in Vienna.
Goran Zivkov and Josef Pröll
Author:
Tanjug
The two officials discussed possibilities for improving commercial exchange between the two countries, reforms within the EU’s agriculture policy as part of negotiations with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as well as the possibility of technical support to the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in using EU funds for new candidate countries.
Zivkov told Tanjug news agency that this ministerial visit comes as a result of good cooperation in the past four years and noted that the two ministries have many joint projects.
Zivkov said he discussed with Austrian officials a number of concrete projects, particularly those referring to future cooperation and exchange of experiences in improving the market information system in agriculture.
The Minister said that the meeting also focused on institutional building within the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and setting up an agricultural chamber.
He said that the Austrian chamber of agriculture functions great and announced setting up such chamber in Serbia by the end of the year.
Speaking on agricultural products, Zivkov noted that agriculture trade between Serbia and Austria amounts to between $1 million and $1.2 million, which both sides described as not enough.
Zivkov said that projects through which the Austrian government used EU funds to support Serbia in adjusting its agriculture systems to EU standards are of great importance.
At the end of his visit to Austria, Zivkov will attend the conference on exchange of experiences between Serbian and Austrian farmers in organic production.