The Siberian blueberry seems to have been created for Montenegro

When Branko Striković bought chokeberry juice at the pharmacy last year for which he paid 33 euros, he became interested in the plant known as the Siberian blueberry.

"When I saw all the medicinal properties of this plant, which does not require any special conditions or land, I decided to direct the company, which for years was engaged in the wholesale of food products and consumer goods, to the raising of aronia plantations and the distribution of its products," says Branko.

"When I heard about the healing effects of aronia, I decided to start with this plantation. I planted about a thousand seedlings on 5.000 square meters and I hope that it will be the right one. We are also expecting help from the Ministry of Agriculture, but even if it is not there, I will not give up ”

He immediately put the idea into action - he re-registered his company "Puljkovac", and planted 200 chokeberry seedlings on the farm in his native village of Bijela in Šavnik.

"In October, I ordered 5.000 seedlings from Poland and decided to look for subcontractors interested in aronia, which is one of the leading healthy and medicinal plants. The first subcontractor is Pavle Božović, and besides him there are others who are interested in making these pioneering steps come to life," he says. Branko, while visiting the first aronia plantation in Montenegro with Božović.

Pavle, who lives in Miločani, seven kilometers from the center of Nikšić, deals in trade and hopes that the chokeberry business will take off.

"When I heard about the healing effects of aronia, I decided to start with this plantation. I planted about a thousand seedlings on 5.000 square meters and I hope that it will be the right one. We are also expecting help from the Ministry of Agriculture, but even if it is not there, I will not give up ", confidently says Pavle, whose neighbors and relatives are already looking for a few seedlings.

"Aronia is not as unknown a plant as people think. Many have heard about its medicinal properties and are looking for seedlings. The truth is that they are looking to buy a few pieces, because the economic situation does not allow them to start the business more seriously. However, if they were animated by certain subsidies from the Government I believe that their interest would also be greater", Božović is convinced.

Striković turned to the Ministry of Agriculture, from whom he expects support. Since the agricultural budget has not yet been adopted, it is not known what the premiums will be for planting aronia.

"People come to me and are interested in subsidies, but I still don't know what and how much they will be. In addition to Pavle, I also have one subcontractor in Župa, and I intend to plant another thousand seedlings in my village. Three thousand more seedlings will arrive next week, and people are interested to know if they will at least receive the seedlings for free. When this takes off, and I believe it will, I intend to open a plant for the processing and production of aronia products", says Branko about his plans.

If a person is persistent and if he finds the right people to cooperate with, then, he believes, the idea can come to life. This would mean, he hopes, the return of people to the countryside.

"People should turn to the countryside and food production because this country has no future if food is not produced. But, if a person wants to get rich overnight, then he should not start with aronia, because the plantation does not offer wealth but earnings for a good life. And we should not forget that health has no price", said Striković.

"This plant should be the future of Montenegro. They have already called it the 'Montenegro blueberry', because unlike other vegetable crops, it does not require too much effort," says Božović.

And Sandra Kovačević, B.Sc. Eng. of fruit growing and viticulture, who works at the company "Puljkovac", believes that aronia is made for Montenegro.

We have conditions, let's use them

"Nutritive and medicinal properties, as well as an easy method of cultivation and maintenance, thriving on lands that are unsuitable for other types of agricultural production, high yields and prices of chokeberry fruits and products, are just some of the reasons why this plant should be grown. Is there a better combination than an ecological state and a fruit species that does not need any kind of protection. Why not create another brand in addition to "vranca" for which we will be known. We have the conditions, let's use them," said Kovačević.

The first fruits, a plant that can be planted both in plains and in mountainous areas, are expected three years after planting, and from the fifth to the seventh full yield of ten kilograms. A kilogram of Siberian blueberry, which is a real ecological product, because it does not require any chemical protection, since no disease that can harm it is known, costs from two to five euros, depending on the quality of the crop, supply and demand.

The Indians were the first to recognize the medicinal properties

Both for health and for beauty, the Indians were the first to recognize the medicinal properties of aronia.

Russian-imperial explorers and sailors planted the plant from North America in Siberia, hence the name Siberian blueberry. In the second half of the 20th century, the plant reached the northern parts of Eastern Europe.

"It is difficult to enumerate all the healing properties of aronia. It has an anti-cancer effect, helps with headaches and migraines, improves the blood count and "purifies" the blood, improves circulation, reduces elevated blood pressure, returns bad cholesterol to normal. It also reduces complaints in inflamed and varicose veins, improves the secretion of hormones and regulates the work of the thyroid gland, treats diabetes, inflammation of the gall bladder, and urinary infections," Kovačević points out.

And that's not all. Aronia cleans the liver of fat and regenerates it even in severe diseases, shortens the healing of wounds and disinfects them, prevents bacterial and viral infections. It is also good for beauty – it reduces the presence of wrinkles and stretch marks, removes dark spots from the sun and cracked capillaries.