Agriculture might contribute to employment and a better life for a number of citizens in BiH. This is demonstrated by the company “Voćar” from Glumina near Zvornnik, through which 1.200 cooperatives already have access to the EU market.
“Voćar” has 20 permanent employees, as well as ambitious plans. The opening of a factory for the processing of fruits and vegetables “Voćar promet” will employ 30 more people. The partner for the company is “Marinada” from Croatia, which provides the equipment, and the opening of the factory is planned for mid-July.
“There is fruit and grain, but now bad weather is announced. I fear for that, but until now everything has been ok’’, said Bajro Selimović from Križević near Zvornik. He and his wife Ziba grow cucumbers and gherkins for the Agricultural Cooperative “Voćar” from neighboring Glumina.
“They give us seeds and provide raw materials. When we achieve earnings, they take what is theirs, but we are also left with what we need’’, said Ziba Selimović to “Deutsche Welle”.
One of the cooeperatives Voćar” is Senaid ef. Alić, an Imam in Zvornik and returnee to the village of Klis. He said that agriculture is an additional source of revenue for him, but that he also wanted to motivate others to work.
Mensur Galjić, the head of services for the co-operation and one of the six founders of “Voćar”, said that the first steps 10 years ago were made in the area of returnees, and cooperation was established with all who have become accustomed to making a living from their work.
“Voćar gave them the opportunity to not think about the market, to enable production, and to not take out expensive loans. We will try and we have found a modus to approach these people, to become one whole and to function in this way’’, he said.
He pointed out that the greatest value of “Voćar” is business efficiency, competence, reliability, and multi-ethnic governance and cooperative structure.
Fahrudin Delibajrić, the Director of “Voćar”, said that they have all the equipment and certificates necessary for the market of the EU, where they export all that they produce with their subcontractors, above all raspberries, strawberries, plums, tobacco and cucumbers.
“We export to Germany, one of the most demanding markets, and with that, we export to factories that is the most demanding in Germany. They have their own terms’’, said Delibajrić and added that in such business there is no improvisation. Everything must be done according to the prescribed standards, and “Voćar” has long been doing this’’, he said.
(Source: ekapija.com)
