Cooperative “Agrofood” from Konjevic Polje is realizing project of pepper production on an open-air field that occupies 30 hectares. This project is supported by USAID, the Government of Sweden, the Project of Development of Market Agriculture (Farm 2), and it includes 30 subcontractors from the region of Birac.
“The project is supported through the procurement of seedlings. The cooperative “Agrofood” committed to find 30 co-operators and produce 150,000 seedlings from them,” said Senad Omerovic, the director of the cooperative “Agrofood”.
The participation of USAID and the Government of Sweden in the project was envisaged with 40 % of funds and the cooperative with 60 % of the funds, and UNDP also took part by providing a basic package of raw materials for all users.
“The support for realization of this project was provided by UNDP, which procured foils, irrigation systems and other materials. “Bauern helfen Bauern” provided seminars and lectures, as well as soil analysis, and they helped us to perform market analysis and determine our goals in the future process of product placement,” said Omerovic.
“The project is a closed circle, which means that we procured material for co-operators, and we signed contracts for the purchase of peppers with them. We already found a buyer. This is a pilot project and if everything goes well this year, we should allow co-operators to buy raw materials next year and allow them a better price after the first year, with which they will realize that this type of production is profitable,” noted Omerovic.
He noted that there are buyers from the EU who are demanding large quantities, which is the reason why they are testing this work this year, and they are hoping to have more than 100 cooperators next year, who will produce peppers for export.
(Source: biznisinfo.ba)
