30th Berry Fruit Fair opened in Čelić, 200 farmers exhibited produce

(Patria) - The 30th Berry Fruit Fair was opened today in Čelić.

Around 200 farmers exhibited strawberries, and their quality will be assessed by a professional jury at the fair's closing ceremony.

About half of the population in Čelić, a municipality predominantly focused on agriculture, lives off strawberry cultivation.

After several bad years, during which strawberry growers faced increasingly expensive production inputs, adverse weather conditions, and a lack of organized purchasing, this year everything was better – the weather, sales, and the price of strawberries.

Čelić strawberries reached a purchase price of around five KM, and producers are satisfied with it.

The pleasant weather this spring facilitated work in greenhouses for producers and also positively impacted the quality of strawberries.

Farmers acknowledge the local and cantonal authorities for creating more favorable living conditions in Čelić and for providing incentives to strawberry producers.

What encourages them the most is that an increasing number of young people see their future in this business.

Encouraged by a good year, strawberry growers hope that support for this production will continue in the coming years.

They also hope that organized purchasing and sales of strawberries in foreign and domestic markets will be improved.