22 February 2019 - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Milutin Simović presented in Cetinje the results of the IPARD Support Programme in the processing industry.
As a result of the first public call for grants to support investment in the processing industry through the IPARD Programme, 21 projects will be supported with a total investment of more than 12.5 million EUR, DPM Simović said, assessing that the beginning of the use of funds from the big IPARD is the beginning of a large investment swing in Montenegrin agriculture.
In the presence of beneficiaries - 21 entrepreneurs from Bar, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Mojkovac, Nikšić, Podgorica and Pljevlja, representatives of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, as well as competent institutions involved in the implementation of IPARD and representatives of local self-government, Simović expressed satisfaction that they all together marked a new step forward in Montenegrin agriculture.
"We are together again: valuable entrepreneurs, our EU partners, the Government, local self-government and media representatives. Together we mark the beginning of a large investment swing in Montenegrin agriculture - the beginning of the use of funds from the large IPARD programme. The year in which Montenegrin agriculture will significantly strengthen its capacities in primary production and processing, with generous support from European funds and the Government of Montenegro, lies ahead of us," Simović stressed.
The total amount of investments is over 12.5 million EUR, and the grant is over 5 million EUR. Non-refundable support from European Union funds amounts to 3.9 million EUR, and from the national budget 1.3 million EUR.
"These investments will provide new 85 jobs and the viability of 786 existing jobs," the Deputy Prime Minister emphasised.
Head of the Cooperation Section at the EU Delegation to Montenegro Hermann Spitz said that this was a joint EU-Montenegrin support for the development of rural areas, increased competitiveness of agricultural production and adoption of high EU standards for sustainable land use, food safety and better access to the EU market.
According to Spitz, the number of received applications exceeded initial expectations. This is, he said, a positive signal and indicator that the Montenegrin agriculture sector needs big investments, that the producers are ready for the challenge in order to improve production, but also an indicator that Montenegrin agriculture has a future.
