November 5, 2020 – Great news for Vrgorac farmers, who will receive around 300,000 kuna next year as support from the City.
Slobodna Dalmacija reports that by creating a three-year comprehensive assistance program, defined through seven different measures, the city administration in Vrgorac decided to help its farmers.
After the City Council’s support, the program received the necessary approval from the Ministry of Agriculture, so the first public calls can be expected in early 2021.
“In the area of the City of Vrgorac, agricultural production is extremely developed, and the most important products are strawberries, prosciutto, wine, peaches, nectarines, grapes, table grapes, vegetables, and honey. We are among the leading areas in Croatia in wines, prosciutto, strawberries, and table grapes. More than 450 family farms are active,” says Mayor Ante Pranic, adding that the program contains de minimis aid, which will be granted in accordance with EU rules on state aid to agriculture and rural development.
The program contains seven measures: support for the preservation and expansion of livestock; support for the preservation and expansion of the bee stock; support for the purchase of equipment, tools, and machines for the development of agricultural production; for the renovation and construction of greenhouses and hothouses; for the introduction of ecologically advanced methods in agricultural production; support for investment in the processing of agricultural products, and, as a seventh measure, support for investment in vegetable production, planting strawberries and the establishment of new perennial plantations. These grants will be co-financed by the City from 2021-2023.
Last year, the City defined its own quality label for agricultural products, “Vrgorac Quality,” to increase the mutual knowledge and value of these products by creating a recognizable brand.
This program will be available only to farmers who are in the quality label system. In the first year, 300,000 kuna in aid is predicted,” Pranic emphasized.
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