Pljevlja: New successes in agriculture promoted – new investments of EUR 4.2 million, with grant of EUR 2.4 million and another one protected product

Pljevlja, Montenegro (19 May 2017) -- Agricultural producers from all parts of Montenegro, most of the north, 168 of them, signed today contracts for grant support for investments in agricultural holdings through IPARD Like 1.2 Public Call. The total investment of these project amounted to EUR 4.2 million. For this purpose, EUR 2.4 million was provided through grants from the EU funds and the national budget. 

According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović, the new investment momentum in the agricultural sector will mean a new value in agriculture, as well as further raising the competitiveness of agricultural producers in Montenegro.

The Minister said that the percentage of those who met the conditions for support was significantly higher in this Public Call, which is an indicator of increasing the absorption capacity of farmers for the use of EU funds. He took the opportunity to thank the EU for grant support, as well as the World Bank for partnership in the implementation of projects.

In addition to this project, as Minister Simović noted, Montenegrin agriculture and rural development have access to many other sources of grants and concessional funds, which the Government of Montenegro provided in cooperation with the EU and other partners. He stated that the process of securing new funds for the implementation of the new MIDAS project is ongoing, adding that procedures for the use of real IPARD Programme are being implemented. Montenegro is intended for about EUR 40 million through that Programme, as he said. Also, Minister Simović recalled the recently signed agreement with IFAD that will finance a number of projects to develop agriculture and rural areas.

At a ceremony marking the signing of contracts, the audience was addressed by the representative of the EU Delegation to Montenegro Esmann Benoit, who congratulated the contractors for their willingness to invest in healthy food production and development of rural areas. He expressed hope that everything will be ready for beginning of using the money from IPARD by the end of the year.

Another good news for Montenegrin agriculture was announced in Pljevlja today. Namely, “Pljevlja cheese” have been granted Protected Designation of Origin. Therefore, Montenegro has recieved another protected product, after “Njeguški pršut” got protection around for less than half a year.

At the end of today’s visit to Plevlja, Minister Simović and his associates met with representatives of the Herders Union of the North, and discussed the possibilities for improving conditions for the development of livestock production and achieving greater competitiveness of the sector.

A similar dialogue and continuous communication from the level of the Ministry and the Government continues in the forestry level, as well. The meeting in the Forest Administration, which was attended by the heads of all regional units in Montenegro, reviewed the ongoing activities based on new policy of use of forest resources, control of exports of wood assortments and concession contracts, creating conditions for the availability of wood mass for small wood processors in order to develop the wood industry and the sustainable use and protection of forest resources.