The Days of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry were opened on Friday in Osijek, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated at the opening that agriculture is high on the priority list and in the focus of the Government’s actions, as it depends on food security and economic strength.
According to him, agriculture has gone through a difficult period in the last three years, but there is still growth in the value of agricultural production, which proves that it is resilient and durable. The latest estimates of the growth in the value of agricultural production by the end of 2023 indicate that it will reach a record 3.3 billion euros, which is 50 percent more than in 2016, Plenković asserted.
He reminded that in the EU’s financial framework for the period until 2027, 3.8 billion euros have been secured for agriculture, which is a strong lever for the development of agricultural production, investments in rural areas, and the preservation of the tradition of the Croatian countryside. The share of financing from national sources has also been raised from 15 to 20 percent, and the envelope for agriculture has been increased by 103 million euros, Plenković said.
He believes that better utilization of EU funds ensures a prosperous future for farmers and states that 2.9 billion euros or 92 percent of the total amount has been contracted from the Rural Development Program so far, with 2.6 billion euros disbursed. He notes that this has secured more than 26 thousand jobs, and plans to open six thousand new ones.
The Prime Minister assessed that Croatia, as the youngest EU member, is recognized for the quality and large number of protected products, with 46 products protected by the designation of origin, placing it seventh among EU members. He emphasized that the Croatian countryside and agriculture are the backbone of a safer and economically sovereign Croatia in terms of self-sufficiency in production and supply of safe and healthy food.
