The 51st International Fair of Agriculture and Food Industry has opened in Gradačac, where about 300 exhibitors from Germany, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Turkey and Bosnia and Herzegovina will present themselves.
The organizer of this year’s fair event is the Tourist Board of Gradačac, and the partner is the City of Gradačac.
The Plum Fair was opened by the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Nikšić, and the ceremonial ribbon was cut by Kemal Hrnjić, Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry of FBiH, Edis Dervišagić, Mayor of Gradačac and Amir Pašalić, Head of the Tourist Office of the Tourist Board of Gradačac, along with Nikšić.
“I am sure that the fair and the fair nights will live up to expectations. It is not easy to experience six decades of organizing an event like this and to create a brand like the Plum Fair. Gradačac is doing it very successfully. About 300 exhibitors have recognized their interest in coming to the fair in Gradačac in order to created partnerships and expanded business. The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in its desire to develop all areas evenly, will help the development of Gradačac with more than five million marks,” said Nikšić.
For the first time, the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is sponsoring the Plum Fair in Gradačac at the proposal of the chairman Denis Bećirović.
“The state should stand behind such important events. The agricultural and food industry fair is not only an exhibition of the fruits of labor, but innovations and traditions. The fruits of the labor of our farmers go beyond local importance, they are recognizable and visible on the international level. To this end, it is necessary to dedicate ourselves to competitiveness of our farmers on the foreign market,” said Alija Kožljak, head of the Cabinet of the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Denis Bećirović.
The Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food in Sarajevo, Muhamed Brka, spoke about the transfer of knowledge and the possibilities offered by the Plum Fair. Kemal Hrnjić, Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry emphasized the importance of innovation and research in the field of agriculture and pointed out that the ministry will continue to support projects that contribute to sustainable development and improvement of agricultural production.
“In the last five years, financial support in the amount of more than 15.8 million BAM has been paid to hard-working agricultural producers and processors in Gradačac. Of the stated amount, only according to the model of support for rural development and other types of support, more than 5 million have been paid in the last five years BAM,” said Minister Hrnjić.
Amir Pašalić, head of the Tourist Office and Edis Dervišagić, mayor of Gradačac, welcomed the guests, exhibitors and visitors of the International Agricultural and Food Industry Fair Plum Fair.
“I am glad that the representatives of the legislative and executive authorities are here today with us, exhibitors and producers to understand and feel their needs. The city of Gradačac is the center of a long tradition in agricultural production, but also the center of the dominant industries in BiH, metal processing, wood processing, food, textile and other branches of industry. When we talk about agriculture, fruit is grown on almost 900 hectares of land, and more than 80% of the purchased fruit goes for export,” said Mayor Dervišagić.
At the opening ceremony of the 51st Plum Fair, the Prime Minister of Tuzla Canton Irfan Halilagić and the Cantonal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Fedahija Ahmetović addressed the audience, expressing their satisfaction that the Government and relevant ministries have traditionally sponsored this fair manifestation in Gradačac. In addition to supporting agriculture, the desire of the Government of TK is to improve and support manifestations where domestic production and agricultural producers are promoted.
The Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a long-term friend and partner of the Fair in Gradačac. This year in Sarajevo, where the Cooperation Agreement between the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the City of Gradačac was signed. As Ahmet Egrlić, the vice president of the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, pointed out today, this agreement was signed with the aim of providing support in the organization of the International Fair of Agriculture and Food Industry.
Tomorrow, medals will be awarded for the quality of the exhibited products, and the Plum Fair will be open until August 31, BHRT writes.
