Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

576 loans in seven days

Belgrade, 12 June 2004

The Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management has received a total of 1,363 applications for agriculture loans over the past seven days and approved 38.3 million dinars in 576 loans, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Ivana Dulic-Markovic told the Belgrade daily Blic. The Serbian government’s web site brings excerpts from the interview.

Ivana Dulic-Markovic

The government will appropriate 3.7 billion dinars or some €50 million for agriculture loans in its farming budget this year, said Dulic-Markovic. The Ministry expects to secure a further €10 million, she said, stressing that the government’s agriculture loan budget will be three times as high as that in 2003.

How can farmers spend their loan funding?

Short-term loans are approved with a 12-month repayment period and an annual interest rate of 5.5 percent. Long-term lending can be used for the purchase of irrigation systems, farming machinery, greenhouses or hothouses, and for improving cattle breeding. Long-term loans have a repayment schedule of five years, a three percent annual interest rate and grace periods of 12 months and three years.

Farmers often complain of outdated machinery?

Agriculture loans can be used for machinery repair and irrigation system construction. In fact, farmers mostly apply for machinery repair loans. The Ministry of Finance also promised to discuss their request for scrapping import duty on machinery that is not produced in Serbia. I believe that the 450 million dinars which the government appropriated for irrigation system loans will be enough to meet the farmers’ needs.

What exactly is a farm register?

Serbia is compiling its first-ever register of farms to establish the exact number of agriculture budget beneficiaries, efficiently implement measures for encouraging agriculture production development and establish a direct contact with agriculture producers. Farmers can register free-of-charge, and only the farms listed in the register can apply for subsidies, loans and premiums.

Are you aware of the situation in agriculture?

Serbia’s agriculture has been neglected, but I believe that things can get better. I am more optimistic now than I was when I took my office.