Čobanković: By the end of 2008, complete the rehabilitation of the detailed canal network

By the end of 2008, activities related to the rehabilitation and maintenance of the detailed canal network (canals of the III and IV order) are planned to be completed, and this network will be handed over to the counties for management, said Minister of Agriculture Petar Čobanković after visiting locations where the cleaning of neglected canals along agricultural areas in the Ivanić Grad area is underway.

This year, between 220 and 230 million kuna is available for the mentioned activities, and between eight and nine thousand kilometers of the detailed canal network will be arranged, said Čobanković. Last year, about 110 million kuna was invested in this work, and more than four thousand kilometers of the detailed canal network were cleaned.

Čobanković pointed out that the detailed canal network has not been maintained since the 1990s, and that out of a total of 25 thousand kilometers, just over four thousand kilometers are in functional condition, while the remainder needs to be rehabilitated. The rehabilitation and maintenance of the detailed canal network, explained Minister Čobanković, is one of the activities being carried out as part of the National Irrigation and Agricultural Land and Water Management Project in Croatia. It is a serious job that must be done in a planned manner, not haphazardly, said Čobanković, adding that 11 counties have developed irrigation programs, eight counties are in the process of developing them, and two have not yet started this work.

In the recent period, Čobanković emphasizes, efforts have been made to rehabilitate existing irrigation systems that have not been used and have been neglected. Thus, until 2003, only 7 thousand hectares were irrigated, and to date, an additional 7.5 thousand hectares have been prepared for irrigation. There are currently 47 irrigation projects underway, some of which, such as the project near Belišće, are beginning to be implemented, and their implementation will enable the irrigation of 40 thousand hectares, said the minister.

He reminded that by 2010, in accordance with the National Irrigation Program, the plan is to develop an irrigation system for 35 thousand hectares of agricultural land, and by 2020, another 30 thousand hectares. Total planned investments by 2020 are estimated at 4.4 billion kuna. (Hina)