Farming is worthwhile, but support from the European Union (EU) is necessary, said Nebojša Ćupić, owner of the Agro Ćupić company from Danilovgrad.
"If it weren't for that support, we would have a hard time affording this. We would never have been able to acquire the machinery ourselves without EU support," said Ćupić, who, thanks to knowledge, work and EU support, has built a serious farm.
The Ministry of European Affairs said that he opened the Agro Ćupić company two years ago, and that today he is successfully engaged in crop and livestock farming.
"We currently have about 50 heads of cattle, about 100 heads of small cattle and agricultural machinery for cultivating land and other grains, as well as mowing grass. My brother and I have been used to working since we were little, so it is not a big job or burden for us. It is important that a person has the will," said Ćupić.
His workday, as he stated, begins at six o'clock with milking the cows, which, thanks to mechanization, lasts about two hours.
"From May to mid-November, we let the cattle out to graze and then we have no obligations until 18 p.m.," said Ćupić, adding that production is organized, stable and fully marketable.
He believes that agriculture is worthwhile.
"It's absolutely worth it. So, there's no way it wouldn't be worth it. I don't know what other job I could do to earn this much without having to leave the country," said Ćupić.
He is one of the farmers who has benefited from IPARD - an EU programme that provides financial and technical support to candidate countries, such as Montenegro, to modernise agriculture and rural areas. Through this programme, farmers can receive funds to invest in new machinery, equipment, facilities, food processing or rural tourism development, with the obligation to finance part of the investment themselves and meet strict European standards.
The essence of IPARD is to help harmonize agricultural production with EU standards and improve the quality of life in rural areas.
"For the first IPARD project, I applied for a large tractor with a loader in 2021. At that time, they returned my business plan eight times because it was not well written. However, I did not want to give up and I managed to get the project and buy that tractor," said Ćupić.
After the first, an even more successful second project followed.
"In the next public call, in 2023, I applied for mechanization and passed on the first try. Now I've applied again, because we need a bigger tractor, so we'll see how I do," said Ćupić.
He added that without EU support he would not be able to acquire the necessary machinery.
The Ministry announced that such investments prepare Montenegrin farmers for the EU market, where, after Montenegro becomes a member, they will have access to a much larger fund, through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
The CAP provides billions of euros in support to farmers annually.
The Ministry recalled that Montenegro closed Chapter 11, which relates to agriculture and rural development, this week, meaning that it has successfully aligned laws, policies and institutions in that sector with European rules. This, they said, is particularly important for young people who want to stay in the countryside and develop their businesses.
"I expect that from Montenegro's membership in the EU, everything will be much more modern, faster and better," said Ćupić.
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