Changes to the law on herbal production subsidies

BELGRADE - The Ministry of Agriculture has proposed amendments to the law on subsidies that will change the criteria for herbal production subsidies, Minister of Agriculture Snezana Bogosavljevic-Boskovic said on Tuesday.

The goal of the changes is to make savings in the budget, she told Radio and Television of Serbia and explained that large subsidies had been granted to stimulate crop production on 100 ha of land, while now subsidies will only cover 20 ha.
"This will achieve great savings as part of the government's overall austerity measures, and it will also stimulate cattle farming and protect small and medium-sized farms," she said.

A protocol on exporting beef to China will soon be signed, Bogoslavljevic-Boskovic stated.

This protocol resulted from successful talks, visits and inspections by Chinese agencies that determined that Serbian products meet the criteria of the Chinese market, she noted.

The minister pointed out that officials of the Ministry of Agriculture had signed a protocol on lamb export to China during the recent summit between China and 16 countries of Central and Eastern Europe.