Primary production in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is on the verge of collapse. The shortage of domestic raw materials and the increase in prices are just an introduction to what follows,say the producers of both BiH entities, which together once again called on the authorities to react urgently and do something about the protection of domestic production. The production of wheat bread this fall is questionable.
A year, they say, could not be more difficult. Crops destroyed, purchase prices low, and no help at all. Production is shutting down. Harvest work has stopped. Sowing, the producers claim, apparently will not even begin.
“Autumn sowing is near, people will not be ready for it because the corn has failed to the maximum. The livestock will be sold by the people and there will be a catastrophe when it comes toagriculture. We have a common position that BiH as a state and Republika Srpska (RS) as an entity will be left without food in the following years since there is no one to produce it anymore, ” warned Savo Bakajlic, president of the Association of Agricultural Producers of Semberija and Majevica.
Markets are full of imported goods. Protection of domestic production has remained a dead letter on paper. They no longer believe in promises. The state ministry announces finding new markets.
“We are determined to open new markets and I can say that the Ministry has intensified its activities in the last two years to open the market to the European Union (EU) when it comes to red meat and table eggs. We have initiated the process of opening the markets of Russia, China, Malaysia, Israel, Kuwait,the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, ” told Stasa Kosarac, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH (SNSD).
“We hereby appeal to the current Minister of Foreign Trade Kosarac to deal with the affairs for which he sits in the Ministry. He persistently interferes but does nothing. He walks around the field and says he will export meat. What will they export it for when there is not enough of it for our needs, ” emphasized Nedzad Bico, president of the Association of Agricultural Producers of Federation of BiH (FBiH).
This year’s production in the vegetable sector is also insufficient to meet domestic needs. Due to uncontrolled imports, production was reduced, Federalna writes.
E.Dz.
