New growth in the fields of Vojvodina
A young Serbian farmer fulfils a childhood dream with the EU’s support.
22/10/2021
Milan Plavšić (35) lives in Sremska Mitrovica in the province of Vojvodina, in the north of Serbia. He comes from a family with a long tradition in agriculture, but in contrast to his father and grandfather, Milan had the opportunity to graduate from the agricultural faculty in Novi Sad. His aim is to take the family business to another level. “I have been used to agriculture since my childhood. I just love it and have never thought of doing other work,” says Milan.
Vojvodina is known for its rich soil which has for centuries been ideal for agricultural crops like maize, wheat, soya, and sunflowers. The province is the biggest producer and exporter of field crops in the Western Balkans region. Like Milan, most people in the region work in agriculture but, despite the advantage of having good soil, farmers are facing some serious difficulties. “Some of the small agricultural households with two to three acres of land are either selling their land or renting it to bigger producers as they are unable to invest in new technology and purchase equipment for modern farming,” he says.
“The old tractor started to become a real problem, as it was not working properly anymore and we couldn’t manage to meet deadlines or produce the necessary quantities of crops.”
Milan Plavšić, farmerA new tractor, better business opportunities
With his 20 acres of land, Milan considers himself to be a medium-size producer but he, too, has had difficulties. Having a tractor is crucial for his work, and the one that the family owned was purchased back in 1987. Milan remembers the joy of first driving this tractor when he was only 12 years old. But over the years, the machine started to show its age. “The old tractor started to become a real problem, as it was not working properly anymore and we couldn’t manage to meet deadlines or produce the necessary quantities of crops,” says Milan.
The family knew they needed to invest in a new tractor, which can cost up to €70,000 – a very expensive piece of equipment for a business of their size. They did not have enough money to invest and taking a loan of this amount seemed too risky and costly over the longer-term. But without the new equipment, their business would be seriously threatened.
They had a glimmer of hope when Milan heard about the EU-funded Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development (IPARD) programme which supports agriculture in Serbia and the region. Seeing that he fulfilled the criteria, Milan decided to apply for support. The application was successful, and the family was able to buy a new tractor.
“With the new tractor that we got with the EU’s support, I can now work faster and more safely and have better quality crops.”
Milan Plavšić, farmerThe IPARD programme supported Milan’s family with over 50% of the amount for purchasing the new tractor. The family covered the rest of the amount with a loan from a bank, which was easier to get as a result of the IPARD support, and from their savings. “With the new tractor that we got with the EU’s support, I can now work faster and more safely and produce better quality crops,” says Milan.
Milan has a vision for further expanding as he has the quality land and the market. Most importantly, he now also has a new Steyr tractor, just the tractor that he dreamed of when he was a boy. “The dream of every young boy living in an agricultural household is to buy a new tractor. It was also my dream. With the EU’s support, this dream has come true,” says Milan.
About the project
Part of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) designed to support countries on the path to EU membership, the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance for Rural Development (IPARD) focuses on the agri-food sectors of those countries and rural areas. Through this tool, the EU provides beneficiaries with financial and technical help to make the agricultural sector and rural areas more sustainable, aligning them with the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.
Photo credits: Milan Plavšić