IPARD-like agriculture support programme worth 4.5 million officially launched today

Podgorica, Montenegro (12 November 2014) -- Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the European Union and the World Bank officially launched today the IPARD-like programme aimed at supporting Montenegro’s agriculture. The project is worth 4.5 million, of which EUR 4.1 million will be available to agricultural producers in form of grant support.

Montenegro’s Agriculture Minister Petar Ivanović noted that, after the successful implementation of the MIDAS project, the activities aimed at backing up Montenegrin agriculture sector are to be continued.

"European Commission has approved the financial support in the amount of EUR 3.4 million. An agreement with the World Bank has been also signed in order to ensure the continuity of the MIDAS project. Montenegro’s Government has provided an additional amount of EUR 1.1 million. This means that at least EUR 8 million will be invested in the Montenegrin agriculture in 2015,” Minister Ivanović said at today's opening of the IPARD-like programme.

In communication with the European Union, the Agriculture Ministry managed to provide additional EUR 39 million, which will be available to farmers since 2016.

"In order to withdraw as much money as possible, it is necessary to move closer to the standards required by the IPARD programme. By promoting this project and singing the next one, we will continue undertaking rural development-related measures in line with EU principles, will help further strengthen the agricultural sector and withdrawal of funds from the IPARD," Minister Ivanović underlined.

He thanked the partners of the European Commission - Directorate General for Agriculture and until recently the Directorate General for Enlargement, for their understanding and support, especially due to the fact that farmers will receive money under the rules that are less strict than conventional IPARD rules.

In his words, the implementation of the IPARD-like project is expected to result in gradual raising of standards in Montenegro's agriculture, creating new jobs and conditions for enhancing the value of primary production and further processing of value. Ultimately, the project will encourage the banking sector to fund more projects in agriculture, Minister Ivanović concluded.