Three dunums of raspberries can feed a family of four

Bosnia and Herzegovina doubles its raspberry production and exports to the demanding European market every year, writes the BH News Agency Patria (NAP), and a growth trend is expected in the coming year.

According to group expert estimates, there are currently between 5,000 and 6,000 dunums planted with raspberries of various varieties in the country, and this number could increase to as many as 10,000 dunums next year, or even more. All of this caused BiH to rank among the 12 countries that are among the largest raspberry growers in the world last year. Serbia was in first place.

Edin Zukan, owner of the company “Frutti-Funghi” from Visoko, which deals with the purchase of forest fruits and berries, told Patria that his company exported 200 tons of raspberries to the Western market in 2014, which is a 100 percent increase compared to the 100 tons exported in 2013.

- For next year, we plan to export 400 tons, which will again be a 100 percent increase in exports, Zukan told NAP.

The largest Bosnian-Herzegovinian food industry “Klas“ Sarajevo also recorded a huge purchase of raspberries. This year, it purchased more than 600 tons of raspberries, as well as other berries and forest fruits, from domestic growers.

- Raspberry cultivation is an extremely profitable activity. From three dunums planted with raspberries, from which three tons of raspberries can be harvested, but even more if the year is good and if modern technology is followed, a family of four can live quite well - says Zukan.

- It is a job that is done at home, within one's family, and it provides a nice and pleasant life - he adds.

Experts explain that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with very fragmented land holdings, which are mostly scattered across hilly areas. This, they say, is an obstacle to growing large areas of cereals, but not for growing raspberries and other berries, which can be an opportunity for thousands of unemployed people in the country, writes NAP.