State Secretary Igor Momcilovic and Assistant Minister Milos Milovanovic took part in the proceedings.

They stressed that, though the corn yield is lower by 10 to 15% compared to last year’s, this year’s production would meet the domestic market’s needs and secure about two million tons of corn for export. The soy, sunflower and sugar beet yield also exceeds the domestic needs meaning that this year’s foreign exchange of agricultural products will again achieve surfeit.

The Ministry representatives stated that weather conditions delayed this year’s autumn harvest of wheat.

The Committee members accepted the Report and Information deeming that they give a realistic overview of the situation and problems in crop production.

At the sitting, the Committee also considered and accepted the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management Information on loans granted to agricultural producers with interest rates subsidized by the Ministry.

Elaborating the information, Milos Milovanovic said, in line with the Ordinance on stimulating agricultural production by credit support through subsidizing part of the interest rate in 2011, agricultural households were granted 5 275 loans the majority of which to a year-long period, and fewer to one to three years.

The Committee members said that livestock breeding should also be stimulated via loans with a longer payback period. They also pointed out the unequal position of agricultural households in mountainous areas which do not use these loans. They proposed that more attention be paid to the development of these areas when drafting next year’s budget.

In addition, the Committee members were briefed on the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Forestry and Water Management Information on the 2011 raspberry harvest and the Ministry’s measures.

The sitting was chaired by Prof. Dr Zoran Masic, Committee Chairman.