National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details

23 January 2025 The members of the Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Committee and the Chinese delegation
Thursday, 23 January 2025
Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Committee Chairman Meets with Chinese Delegation
The Chairman of the Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Committee Marijan Risticevic and Committee member Radoslav Milojicic, met today at the National Assembly with a Chinese delegation headed by Dr Yin Shuping.
Marijan Risticevic stressed that China is an important country for Serbia, one with which it enjoys traditionally good relations.
In the conversation, Risticevic pointed out that the Government’s to agricultural incentives are increasing, and more and more money is being allocated for fruit and vegetable production in 2025. The Committee Chairman informed the delegation about how much agricultural land Serbia has, the predominant crops grown and the income gained from agricultural products, saying that the average farm in Serbia has 6.6 hectares. He also emphasised the importance of the free trade agreement between Serbia and China, saying that entering the Chinese market is of utmost importance for Serbia.
In addition to Dr Yin Shuping, the meeting was also attended by Prof. Dr Gu Zheng from the Faculty of Agriculture in Beijing, Prof. Dr of Agricultural Economics Nebojsa Terzic, Vice President of the Serbian Export and Development Association and Director of the Office in Ningbo (China), and Dragan Mirkovic, Director of the Local Infrastructure Development Project (MGSI), as well as the President of the Municipality of Mionica Boban Jankovic.
Dragan Mirkovic presented the activities related to the investment in innovative agriculture in the Municipality of Mionica to the Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Committee. The project would involve the construction of several hectares of greenhouses, along with a research centre. The facilities are intended for the production of berries and vegetables.
Investor Dr Yin Shuping presented the project and the importance of the demonstration/production centre which would help spread knowledge and technology to interested domestic farmers. Member of the Chinese delegation, Prof. Dr Gu Zheng from the Faculty of Agriculture in Beijing, informed the Committee representatives that, last year, this faculty was declared the best faculty of agriculture in the world and has decided to award the Republic of Serbia a larger number of full scholarships for master's studies in the field of agricultural economics, which will give this project a professional component and make it continuous and sustainable.
The President of the Municipality of Mionica highlighted the importance of the project for Mionica, the Kolubara District, and the entire territory of the Republic of Serbia, and expressed hope that the construction of the first phase of this project would begin this year. In addition to the red fruit and vegetable production sector, the research centre, and scholarships for our students, the members of the Committee initiated discussions related to other agricultural sectors, as well as cooperation between our agricultural high schools.
The guests from China agreed that there is great potential and interest in expanding cooperation in all agricultural sectors and that they have a desire to transfer their knowledge and experience to their colleagues from the Faculty of Agriculture for Agricultural Business and Economics.