43rd Plum Fair opens in Gradačac: State must protect domestic production

The 43rd International Fair of Agriculture and Food Industry – Plum Fair opened today in Gradačac, attended by former President of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesić, in addition to BiH government representatives, Patria reports.

It was emphasized that BiH agriculture needs to be strengthened and food production increased, but state protection and support are essential.

Mesić also addressed the attendees, stating that it is not enough to produce a quality product; it must be processed correctly using quality technology, and this fair covers all these aspects.

- Here you can not only see the latest technology but also acquire it; you can see the best product, but you can also acquire it. This is an invitation to the market to orient itself towards this fair, which has existed for years, while many fairs have ceased to function simply because they did not know what the market demands. The market must be conquered anew, as it is never fully conquered, and that is why BiH needs to join the EU as soon as possible – Mesić concluded.

The Mayor, Edis Dervišagić, emphasized that such events are expected to offer proposals, answers, and initiatives for the strategic development of agriculture and its integration into global frameworks. This fair, Dervišagić believes, aims to present and promote agriculture and the food industry, and to improve them through scientific and professional achievements.

The first post-war President of the Organizing Committee of the Plum Fair in 1996 and Director of Solana d.d. Tuzla, Izudin Kapetanović, underlined that the Gradačac Fair is a witness to the past, present, and future, and a great opportunity for business cooperation, for the annual presentation of products and achievements of exhibitors in the past year.

- Agriculture holds great potential. Domestic producers are the greatest driving force against the crisis, but also for economic growth. Farmers from BiH are increasingly competitive in foreign markets. They have utilized all their resources to create competitive products, but more than ever, they need support to replace imports wherever possible – Kapetanović concluded.

At this year's Plum Fair, 302 exhibitors from Austria, Germany, Italy, Turkey, the Czech Republic, Macedonia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina will present their products and services. On 7,500 square meters, fair exhibits from some of the most important producers and processors of agricultural products will be displayed. Visitors will be able to see presentations of the latest products and services in the field of food and beverage production and processing, agricultural machinery, and protective agents. In addition, the fair will host traditional professional-scientific consultations, as well as a series of round tables, collective exhibitions, and presentations of regional cooperation programs in the field of agricultural production and business.