For the promotion and development of agriculture in 2019, Pljevlja municipality will allocate EUR 302,000, which is at the level of the previous year.
The most money, 68,000 euros, will be allocated for milk subsidies. The municipality will pay the cattle-breeder for each liter delivered to registered dairies three cents, as in the previous year.
"From the total production in the municipality Pljevlja most of the unprocessed milk remains on the farm and households which process that milk into dairy products, cheese, and kajmak or use it for their consumption. These products appear on an organized market in a minimal extent. On the other hand, demand for commercial dairy products is increasing, especially in tourist areas. Low production of milk per livestock unit and increasing demands on milk quality reduce the producers' interest in selling milk to dairies. Despite the periodic surplus of crude milk in the market, raising the competitiveness of the dairy sector through direct support to producers can significantly accelerate the development of milk market production and its adaptation to EU standards," says the agrarian-policy program for this year.
About 60,000 euros will be allocated for the promotion of livestock breeding, i.e., breeding of heifers and fattening male cattle.
Farms that carry out organized fattening will have the right to financial support up to €100 per livestock unit.
With 19,000 euros, the municipality will assist the production of continental fruit, and with 21,000 for the berry fruit. "Although there are favorable agro ecological conditions and human resources available, the production of berry fruit in the municipality of Pljevlja is not sufficiently represented. The production of berry fruit is, if it is organized in the right way, highly profitable and can lead to progress, both for the individual farms and the local community. The Rural Development Strategy in 2012 has started an initiative to increase the production of berry fruit and has so far moved upward," the document states.
For existing plantations of berry fruit and raising new, a direct aid of 500 euros for a minimum area of 0.10 hectares will be provided and the municipality will also support the purchase of equipment for planting, fertilizing, small mechanization, equipment and connections necessary for plant maintenance.
The municipality will subsidize farmers who decide to produce vegetables, flowers, medicinal herbs and mushrooms, organic food production as well as the supply of equipment, connectors and small appliances, greenhouses and irrigation systems.
There is also support for 15 young beekeepers who are beginners, for the purchase of three beehives, for which the municipality will bear the total cost.
The municipality will also subsidize 50% of the insurance of registered farmers for pension and health insurance. For this purpose, the municipality will allocate seven thousand euros.
The local government will use 400 euros to help young couples in the village who have been married or had a baby. The municipality will also support investments in family households to protect Pljevlja cheese.
This measure aims to stop the depopulation of the rural area.
"The villages in the area of Pljevlja municipality are faced with a major problem of migration of the local population towards the cities, and especially among the youth. A small number of agricultural producers are in the agricultural insurance system, by the Pension and Health Insurance Act. In most settlements of the rural area, there are intensive migration flows to Pljevlja and the centers of neighboring municipalities. One of the measures in the strategic development documents of the Municipality Pljevlja is to improve the quality of life and spread economic activities in the rural area through the introduction of stimulating measures for the people in these areas," the statement explains.
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Text by Goran Malidzan, on March 31st, 2019, read more at Vijesti
