Identification of Land Parcels Begins in 2011

The implementation of the land parcel identification system, ARKOD, in Croatia will begin for national needs in 2011, and it will be used for European subsidies after Croatia’s accession to the European Union, it was stated at today’s press conference of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development.

ARKOD is a database that records the actual use of agricultural land based on aerial photographs and is a prerequisite for obtaining EU subsidies that are granted based on the size of cultivated land. After Croatia’s accession to the EU, farmers who have not registered their parcels will not be able to receive EU subsidies. ARKOD is established by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, with partners being the Croatian Agricultural Agency and the Croatian Agricultural Advisory Service.

The initial funds for launching ARKOD amount to 120 million kuna, of which 70 million kuna is from the budget, and 25 million kuna is secured from EU programs and World Bank loans. The annual maintenance of the system will cost 30 million kuna, and the funds will be secured from the state budget. Registration in ARKOD began in July 2009 and will last until the end of 2010. Consultations with farmers are being conducted in 11 counties covered by digital orthophoto maps. In the remaining 10 counties, implementation is expected to begin in March and April.

Minister of Agriculture Petar Čobanković reported that there are currently 370 employees in the Agency for Payments in Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, most of whom came from the Directorate for Market and Structural Needs of the Ministry of Agriculture and from the offices of state administration in the counties. The Agency, Čobanković says, will have 510 employees. As announced, the master plan of the Agency is expected to be approved by the Government at tomorrow’s session, and the European Commission has already given the green light, as well as for the concept of direct payment reform in agriculture for the period from 2010 to 2013.

The Government is expected to consider this reform next week, and it should serve as the basis for aligning agricultural support with the EU’s common agricultural policy, he added. The reform of direct payments and the establishment of ARKOD are essential for closing Chapter 11 “Agriculture and Rural Development” in Croatia’s accession negotiations with the EU, says Čobanković. In Chapter 12, which relates to food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary protection, he assesses that its closure is realistic by summer, while for Chapter 13 – fisheries, he expects its opening at the intergovernmental conference on February 19. (H)