Serbia: Trade restrictions lifted

Ten-year agrarian strategy of utmost importance

The General Director of MK Group, Mihailo Jankovic, stated at the Economic Business Forum in the Kopaonik mountain resort, that it is of utmost importance that Serbia adopt a ten-year agricultural strategy, which will show what the country wants to achieve in the next decade and how it will be done. "Extremely important are the applications of modern technologies, innovations, investments and land consolidation", said Jankovic at the panel "Serbia as an economy of high yields - is it achievable?" announced MK Group. He also said that MK Group will remain a force in the sectors in which it is present, namely agriculture, tourism, real estate and renewable energy sources. As key sectors where Serbia could achieve further growth, he stressed capital, people and innovation, reports Beta news agency.

Can a boycott of retailers drive prices down?   

In response to the recent boycott of food retailers in Serbia, weekly NIN writes that these “reflect consumer frustration over high food prices and economic inefficiencies. While it brings short-term relief, it harms retailers and the broader economy.”

The portal writes that the boycott signals public dissatisfaction but “fails to address the systemic issues behind rising costs, such as supply chain inefficiencies and corruption. Blaming retailers oversimplifies the problem, diverting attention from deeper structural flaws, including weak competition and policy failures.”

According to NIN, “governments fueling anti-retail sentiment raise concerns about their economic competence.” The article furthermore notes that the phenomenon is regionally widespread, echoing past stereotypes of trade as “parasitic.”

Sustainable solutions lie in improving supply chain efficiency, the article adds, and tackling corruption rather than periodic protests against retailers. NIN concludes that, EU accession alone won’t resolve these ingrained misconceptions. A collaborative regional approach to supply chain reforms would better serve consumers and economies than symbolic boycotts, according to the authors.

Serbian cheeses attract foreign connoisseurs

While Serbian consumers often opt for semi-hard cheeses from France, Italy, or Switzerland over local alternatives in the same price range, this choice can sometimes be a mistake, as Serbia produces premium-quality cheeses that rival some of the best in the world, says Srba Jovanovic, a cheese expert and founder of the BalkanCheeseFestival.

"There are generally two types of consumers: those for whom price is the deciding factor and those who appreciate quality and are willing to pay for it. Many in the latter group still prefer imported cheeses over domestic ones, even when price is not an issue, and that's where they often misjudge the quality of local products," Jovanovic told the 24/7 portal. To illustrate the exceptional quality of Serbian cheeses, Jovanovic shared the case of Momcilo Budimirovic, a retired professor from the Higher Agricultural School in Sabac, who produces goat cheese. Every two weeks, an unknown buyer from Jordan sends someone to personally transport this cheese by plane in a portable refrigerator to the Middle Eastern country. Another example comes from last year's Balkan Cheese Festival, where an American importer for the New York market identified two Serbian semi-hard cheeses that she believed could immediately be sold in gourmet stores in the U.S. Even the French ambassador to Serbia—representing a country renowned for its cheese culture—praised a Serbian cheese as the best he had tasted in the past five years, Jovanovic added.

Beyond these individual cases, the growing interest in Serbian cheeses extends beyond the Balkans, reaching new markets such as the Middle East. However, Jovanovic emphasized that Serbia still faces fundamental challenges in livestock farming and dairy production. Additionally, efforts are needed to recognize and protect geographical indications and individual cheese brands. "Currently, only two Serbian cheeses have protected geographical status, and only around ten companies have protected their cheeses as intellectual property," Jovanovic noted.

Number of landfill fires in Serbia tripled in last seven years      

The number of fires at landfills in Serbia has tripled over the past seven years, with incidents reported at landfills in Valjevo, Uzice, Kraljevo, Mladenovac, Temerin, and other locations, according to the Civil Initiatives association. Natasa Gligorijevic, coordinator of the Eco Block – a network for cleaner air, highlighted that the problem is exacerbated by the existence of non-sanitary landfills operated by local governments, which are nearly full. In Valjevo, one of the most polluted cities in the country, landfill fires are compounding air pollution, with residents experiencing multiple health risks, including respiratory problems and exposure to hazardous substances. These fires release harmful gases, including methane, which can cause explosions and further environmental damage. The association also warned that improperly managed landfills significantly impact public health, causing respiratory issues, allergies, developmental delays in children, heart problems, and mental health issues. There are currently 2,689 illegal landfills in Serbia, with only 12 regional sanitary landfills built out of the 26 planned. The increase in landfill fires is attributed to inadequate waste disposal practices, and there is a need for a comprehensive waste management system, including waste separation, landfill monitoring, and regular health checks for nearby residents, reports BetaRS.

Government suspended restrictive trade measures

The Government of Serbia has adopted decisions to lift import bans on pellets, sunflower oil and margarine, with the new regulations taking effect immediately. In December 2024, the government imposed a one-year ban on pellet imports, but just two months later, the restriction was revoked. The pellet import ban was initially introduced in April 2024 and subsequently extended three times, most recently in December 2024. Additionally, the government has removed restrictions on the import of sunflower oil and margarine. In December, Serbia imposed a 15-month limit on agricultural and food imports, allowing only quantities equal to the average annual imports over the previous four years. The import restrictions on oil and margarine were first implemented in March 2024 and extended twice in April and December 2024, but have now been fully repealed after less than three months of the latest extension.

Serbia to generate 3.5GW from renewable energy by 2030

Serbia is set to achieve 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2030, with targets of 11 GW by 2040 and approximately 18 GW by 2050, according to Rade Mrdak, advisor to the Minister of Mining and Energy. Speaking at  at the Kopaonik Business Forum on behalf of Minister of Mining and Energy, Mr Mrdak stated that Serbia has created conditions for the development of 2.5 GW of green energy over the past two years, making the 2030 goal of 3.5 GW realistic. A portion of this capacity will be sourced from two auctions that will enable investors to build wind farms and solar power plants with a total capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW). Additionally, the state-owned power utility Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) is contributing to this effort, having signed an agreement with UGT and Hyundai to construct solar power plants with a combined capacity of 1 GW. EPS is also developing a wind farm and a solar power plant in Kostolac. Mrdak noted that prosumers (individual consumers who also generate electricity) currently contribute 90 MW to Serbia's energy mix, while another 600 MW comes from feed-in tariffs. "That brings us close to 3,000 MW. If we rely on continued growth in prosumer capacity, we will reach 3.5 GW, and with the third round of auctions, we will surpass that target," Mrdak said.