KOŠARAC: GOAL IS TO EXPAND DOMESTIC HONEY EXPORTS TO ITALY

VIŠEGRAD, SEPTEMBER 3 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers Staša Košarac today has announced the possibility of cooperation with Italy in beekeeping and the use of the Drina River's potential for fish production and processing.

The final conference of the Transition Towards Green and Healthy Food Production Project was held in Višegrad today. The town is also expected to participate in a new project, which envisages the opening of a Friendship House where fish products could be bought.

Local beekeepers from Višegrad, who recently took part in a study visit to Italy, also attended today's conference.

"Taking into account Višegrad's capacities, as well as the interest shown by local people, I believe we can build on this project by providing equipment for honey production and drawing on Italian experience in product branding," Košarac said.

Košarac stressed that the goal was for honey produced in this area to eventually find its way onto the Italian market as well.

He also announced the possibility of developing cooperation in aquaculture with partners from the Institute in Bari.

Višegrad Mayor Mladen Đurević thanked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers and the Italian Embassy for choosing Višegrad to host the final conference.

"For us, it is important that Minister Košarac informed us that Višegrad will participate in the next project, which plans opening a Friendship House where fish products could be sold. This is certainly something authentic to Višegrad," Đurević said.

Đurević stressed that this would be an important project for Višegrad and that the municipality would provide all necessary support for its implementation.

The Transition Towards Green and Healthy Food Production Project has been implemented in BiH over the past three years through cooperation between the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari and the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers, with the support of the Italian Government.

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of agricultural producers to adopt EU standards and practices in the fields of rural development and healthy food production.