Serbia: Conference on plant breeders' rights brings together stakeholders from the region

Western Balkans Plant Breeders' Rights Conference

On November 20, the Dutch Embassy in Serbia together with Naktuinbouw organized a regional Conference on Raising Awareness and Strengthening Enforcement of Plant Breeders' Rights (PBR) in the Western Balkans. Whilst the protection PBRs is crucially important in incentivizing the development of new plant varieties, the framework for both listing and enforcement of PBRs is still under development in the countries in the region. As a result, some seed companies are hesitant to market their newest climate change resilient plant varieties in the Western Balkans. Aim of the conference was to share best practices on PBR registration and enforcement and build the necessary connections for further cooperation to further ameliorate the situation. 

In her opening address, Yolanda Huerta, Vice Secretary-General of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), highlighted that effective plant variety protection systems enable breeders to invest in the development of new plant varieties, which are critical for addressing global challenges like climate change, food security and biodiversity conservation.

Jovan Vujovic of the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management presented the state of play of PBR protection in Serbia, whilst Dirk Theobald from the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) gave an overview of the EU’s PBR protection system. In his presentation, Marien Valstar from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature highlighted the Dutch view on PBRs and a properly functioning seed system, while M. Moazzam from Naktuinbouw talked about international cooperation in building solid PBR systems, capacity building and knowledge sharing. Lastly, Sjoerd Bijl from Plantum elaborated on enforcement of PBR and the management of Farm-Saved Seeds (FSS) in the Netherlands and the EU.

The presentations and speeches were followed by lively panel discussions during which representatives from Fresh Forward, the Seed Association of Serbia, Popović, Popović & Partners and Delta Agrar shared their experience with the PBR system in the countries in the region and during which practical ways of capacity building and cooperation were discussed.

The conference, which took place in Belgrade, was attended by  Ministry officials from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, businesses and research institutions from Serbia, law offices with a regional portfolio, judges and farmers and provided a stepping stone for further cross-border cooperation on the important topic.  

High food prices a problem for consumers

The Dean of the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, Ms. Zaklina Stojanovic, commented the rising food prices in Serbia, which reflect broader economic challenges. The dean emphasizes for weekly Radar that average households spend almost half of their income on basic necessities, making food prices a key concern. She argues that without subsidizing agricultural producers, the food supply will decrease, and prices will keep rising. The dean critiques the isolated approach to agricultural production, highlighting the need for modernization and increased productivity. She also points out that Serbia's food prices have risen faster than those in other countries, exacerbating inflation. She suggests that a lack of effective regulation and protection for small farmers, along with slow technological progress, is contributing to the problem. The focus, she believes, should shift from consumer protection to improving the entire food production system, including supply chains, subsidies, and support for sustainable agricultural practices.

Two calls for IPARD III funds before the end of the year

Jelena Blagojevic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture of Serbia, announced that two additional calls for proposals under the IPARD III program, the EU's pre-accession funds, are expected by the end of the year. These include a call for procuring equipment, machinery, and mechanization under Measure 1, as well as a call under Measure 3, which focuses on processing and marketing agricultural and fishery products. Speaking at a session of the Monitoring Committee for the implementation of the IPARD III program, Ms. Blagojevic highlighted that the financial agreement between the Serbian government and the European Commission will enable Serbia to access significant funds allocated by the EU for the agricultural sector. She noted that the implementation of IPARD III began with public calls, with the first call under Measure 1 concluded in September and the second, targeting investments in new tractors, finalized on November 8, 2024. Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Aleksandar Martinovic, met with representatives of the European Commission to discuss the current status of IPARD II program projects and explore opportunities to enhance project implementation under IPARD III, a statement from the ministry reminds.

Serbian cheese the most expensive in the world

The Pule cheese  is the most expensive cheese in the world, at a price of $1,300 Uper kilogram, as announced on the Instagram page “Top5expensive”, which follows and creates such lists, the daily Politika reported. This extraordinary donkey cheese is made according to a traditional recipe which has been passed on through centuries. Milking is done three times a day. Considering that only small quantities of milk are produced during that process, the cheese is extremely precious.

Donkey milk is rich with vitamin C, with a content that surpasses that in cow milk as many as 60 times, while having a very low percentage of fat. The Pule cheese is characterized by a soft crumbly texture and a mildly nutty, slightly sweet taste, and it is also known for its numerous health benefits. This cheese is produced in the Nature Reserve Zasavica, where donkeys and mangalica(?) pig type are being kept. The production of this cheese itself is very expensive, so the price is not surprising at all. It is mostly used as a rich addition to certain dishes.

Open Balkan Wine Vision gaining on importance  

The International Wine, Food, Rakija, and Tourism Fair, Wine Vision 2024 - by Open Balkan took place the last week of November at the Belgrade Fair ground. The fair hosted 650 exhibitors from wineries, distilleries, and gastronomy companies representing 38 countries, the Serbian government announced. Serbian President Vucic opened the exhibition and shared his impression that this exhibition is gaining  importance and in a few years will be the third most important fair of its kind in Europe, just after the Italian Vinitaly and the Düsseldorf exhibitions. This year the exhibition marks its third edition. Most participants came from Italy, South Africa, the United States, France, Australia, the Netherlands, Lebanon, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Kingdom etc.

Steady increase in the export of rakija

Registered distilleries in Serbia produce approximately 50 million liters of rakija annually, and exports of this national fruit brandy have been growing steadily. According to the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, rakija exports have now reached €25 million, as reported by national broadcaster RTS.

At the prestigious CMB Spirits Selection competition, held this year in China, several Serbian rakija brands won eight gold and ten silver awards, which was a significant achievement in promoting the rakija brand globally, RTS emphasized. One of the award-winning distilleries signed an export agreement last month at a trade fair in Xiamen, China. "This is a major boost for exports. We anticipate strong demand and substantial exports to China," said Milos Jovovic, Zaric Distillery manager.

The Association of rakija producers of Serbia, which comprises 30 distilleries, noted that over the past decade, they have secured a geographical indication for Sumadija plum rakija and have begun conducting quality checks on samples from retail stores to ensure product authenticity for consumers. The state has supported the industry with subsidies covering up to 70% of invested funds, but there is still room for further assistance.

"We need help in combating the vast black market, where we, the registered producers, face the most significant challenges, affecting both us and the state," emphasized Aleksandar Stankovic, president of the Association and a representative of Pevac distillery.

While producing rakija for personal use is legal in Serbia, many unregistered producers sell their products, resulting in lost excise revenue for the state. The quality of these illegal spirits is often questionable, damaging the reputation of the beverage in general, RTS points out.