BFC. Agriculture Finance Bulletin.
State Initiatives 1)
Direct Incentive Subsidies Reduced to RSD 4,000 per Hectare
February 23rd, 2021, http://www.agronews.rs/subvencije-smanjene-sa-5-200-na-4-000-dinara-po-hektaru/
The government of Serbia has passed amendments to the Decree on Incentives in Agricultural and Rural Development that will reduce incentives per hectare from RSD 5,200 to RSD 4,000. This will reduce the overall amount available for direct incentive payments from RSD 24.80 billion to RSD 22.54 billion. The amendments also mean a reduction in funds available for rural development measures from RSD 1.71 billion to RSD 1.40 billion. At the same time, RSD 4.73 billion will be made available for requests based on direct payments from previous years and planned for payment in the current year. This is up from RSD 2.47 billion. It should be noted that, at the same session these amendments were approved, the government also passed the Decree on the Allocation and Use of Funds for Subsidizing Protected Natural Assets of National Interest. This decree allocates RSD 264.8 million in subsidies to finance works and other costs related to protecting natural areas in Serbia.
2)
Ministry of Agriculture Supports Request to Start Frost Insurance Coverage Sooner
February 19th, 2021, https://beta.rs/ekonomija/ekonomija-srbija/141865
The president of the Association of Raspberry and Blackberry Producers in Serbia has met with representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, resulting in an agreement that frost insurance coverage for fruit producers should start on March 1 (instead of April 4) of this year. The request for the date change came from the Association after insurance companies changed their regulations and moved the validity period into April. This upset many fruit growers in Serbia, who stated that frost insurance was, essentially, meaningless so late in the season. For their part, the Ministry will strongly recommend insurance companies move the date of frost insurance to March 1. For his part, the president of the Association stated that he will call of producers to suspend all insurance with companies that fail to adopt the Ministry’s recommendation.
3)
RSD 500 Million Allocated for Cooperative Development
February 10th, 2021, https://beta.rs/ekonomija/ekonomija-srbija/141423-krkobabic
The Minister for Rural Welfare, Milan Krkobabic, recently announced that the allocation of RSD 500 million in non-refundable funds to cooperatives will soon begin. The funds will be distributed under a competition scheme aimed at helping cooperatives develop and, thereby, support rural development and the improvement of livelihoods for those living in rural areas. Under the state program, new cooperatives are eligible to receive up to RSD 7.5 million, and existing cooperatives are eligible for up to RSD 15 million. A priority will be given to cooperatives in Southern Serbia and other underdeveloped or devastated areas.
4)
Subsidy Payments to Agricultural Producers to Begin at the End of March
February 7th, 2021, http://www.rtv.rs/sr_ci/ekonomija/aktuelno/nedimovic-isplata-subvencija-od-marta_1206358.html
Minister of Agriculture Branislav Nedimovic has announced that subsidy payments to agricultural producers will begin at the end of March 2021. The Minister also requested that qualifying agricultural producers submit their subsidy applications on time so that the distribution of the RSD 53 billion in subsidies can commence promptly. It should be noted that the amount allocated for subsides this year Page 2
