In addition to the Committee members the sitting was also attended by State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Velimir Stanojevic and associates, Deputy Mayor of Vranje Nenad Antic and representatives of agrarian associations.

Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic said it is vital to utilize the ample fruit and livestock farming potential, and agricultural potential as a whole, in border areas and areas close to the administrative line. There is also vast potential to produce bioenergy from biomass and organic fertilizer from animal manure. Speaking of the Ministry’s ample incentives for fruit and livestock farming, Risticevic appealed to the local self-governments to encourage farmers to apply to agricultural public calls.

The State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management emphasized the importance of fruit and livestock farming in the Pcinja District and in the south of Serbia. He also spoke about the Ministry’s projects and subsidies for the development of these agricultural branches.

Following a lengthy discussion between the Committee members and the representatives of agrarian associations and the Ministry, the Committee adopted a conclusion on the current situation in agriculture with a special focus on fruit and livestock farming.

The Committee sitting outside of the National Assembly seat was held with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), under the auspices of project “Strengthening the Oversight Role and Transparency of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia”.

The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairman Marijan Risticevic and attended by the following Committee members and deputy members: Zvonimir Djokic, Dragan Savkic, Tijana Davidovac, Zarko Bogatinovic, Milija Miletic, Aleksandra Jevtic, Mladen Lukic and Marjana Maras.