The restoration of domestic livestock with the support of the state for breeding is significant, in order to reduce Montenegro's dependence on imports, the Acting Director General of the Directorate for Payments in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Vladislav Bojović and the farmers of Pljevlja assessed.
During the working visit of Bojović to Pljevlja, the importance of restoring the domestic cattle stock was pointed out in order to ultimately prevent abuses and stop the practice that is adapted to the interests of import lobbies.
Bojović spoke with beneficiaries of IPARD support and agro-budgetary measures, as well as with potential new beneficiaries of the program. He visited the agricultural farm of Draško Pivljanin in the village of Velika Krće as well as the farm of Dragan Petrović in Kosanica.
In the conversation with the farmers, the problems faced by the younger generation of herders who breed sheep or fatten cattle were pointed out in terms of missing infrastructure, security of purchase, purchase prices and criteria for awarding premiums.
Bojović, as announced by the Ministry, stated that it is a rare picture that in one village in Montenegro there are farmers of the younger generation whose livestock numbers over 300 sheep and close to 100 cattle, as well as that there is a desire and determination among young people to continue the tradition of farming agricultural production, which is why he emphasized the importance of supporting this target group of agricultural producers at the level of the whole of Montenegro.
The proposals of the producers themselves, current and potential users of IPARD funds, in which way the possible change of procedures should be approached, which would facilitate the implementation of the aforementioned support, were considered.
Also, the issue of relaunching the initiative and activities aimed at branding Pljeval cheese, possible changes to certain criteria when determining the amount of support for building and equipping cheese factories, as well as the question of reviewing the subsidy policy for cheese producers, is open.
Bojović announced that a meeting with the representatives of the Investment and Development Fund (IRF) will be initiated from the level of the Ministry in order to create conditions for easier provision of support funds available to farmers through the IPARD program.
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