An agreement has been reached for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management to address the demands from agricultural associations and propose amendments to the Law on Incentives in Agriculture and Rural Development to the National Assembly. The Prime Minister of Serbia, Miloš Vučević, led a meeting with representatives from seven agricultural associations where key conclusions were drawn.
The agreement stipulates that the Ministry will act to resolve the issues raised by the associations and propose amendments to the law by mid-October 2024. Notable changes include increasing reimbursement for certified seeds to up to 17,000 dinars per hectare and removing the current subsidy cap of 6,000 dinars per hectare.
By the end of October 2024, a public call will be issued for seed rebates up to 17,000 dinars per hectare. Additionally, by September 2024, a solution will be proposed for resolving property legal issues related to agricultural land to ensure eligibility for incentives.
This year, incentives will include 40,000 dinars per head for raising quality first-calf breeding cows and 60,000 dinars per head for raising quality heifers aged 12 to 24 months, provided the heifers remain on the farm for at least three lactations or until five years of age.
The government aims to limit milk imports to last year’s levels or lower and plans to enhance oil exports. A meeting with major oil producers will be held by July 2024, and a working group will be proposed to improve the agricultural commodity market.
Farmers’ association representatives will contribute to the development of the Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development for 2025-2032. Future communication with the government will focus on constructive dialogue, avoiding protests.
The meeting was attended by National Assembly President Ana Brnabić, Minister of Agriculture Aleksandar Martinović, and representatives from various agricultural associations.
