Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina Staša Košarac said that the census of B&H agriculture will most likely be carried out in September 2023 on the basis of a unified methodology, with full respect for entity competencies and engagement of ministries of agriculture and institutions dealing with the census.

He said this today at a meeting with FB&H Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Nijaz Brković and RS Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management Boris Pašalić, with whom he discussed the protection of domestic production and many other topics.

Košarac said that final information had been made regarding the agricultural census, which would be proposed to the B&H Council of Ministers for adoption.

-The census would be a serious 'input' for designing certain policies at the entity level to encourage the work of processing capacities- said Košarac.

He emphasized that they also discussed the requests of the farmers' association today, and pointed out that the conditions were never optimal.

-However, it is all a political game of certain structures from the RS, and it is manifested in Bijeljina, and at the same time, those who advocate it did not solve the issues while they were in those positions- said Košarac.

He emphasized that there were no surpluses in primary production, but that there was a disturbance in prices and that there are statistics for that.

-The import of beef in B&H has been reduced by five thousand tons, pork by 3.5 thousand tons, and the export of beef from B&H has increased significantly. Also, the export of fruits and vegetables has increased by 8.5 percent,” Košarac emphasized, adding that they are fully committed to the protection of domestic producers in B&H.

Košarac said that they also talked about making a decision on monitoring the situation on the market of agricultural and food products and measures for the improvement of agricultural producers.

After the adoption of that decision, he said, they could legally, in accordance with the signed international agreements, initiate procedures for possible protection of domestic production and measures restricting the import of certain agricultural food items.

FB&H Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Nijaz Brković said that they also discussed the establishment of an IPARD agency at the state level.

-A working group has already been formed and has been working for a month. The IPARD agency is important for withdrawing funds from the EU- he said.

Brković also stressed that they also discussed the agricultural census, which was last conducted in 1961