Certainly, the export of chicken and pork produced in Serbia to the countries of the European Union will begin soon, and the expansion of the market will be a great opportunity for domestic producers.

“The EU approval procedure for selling chicken meat from Serbia on the European market will start in two weeks. When it comes to pork, we will have another control in February, but we have finished our part of the job,” said the Minister of Agriculture Branislav Nedimović in a statement for Tanjug after the meeting in Brussels, as reported by RTS.

The last time chicken meat, pork and processed meat products from Serbia were on the European market was in the time of the SFRY.

This is an important novelty for producers from Serbia, especially for those who are engaged in pig farming, because, as agricultural analyst Milan Prostran explained for “Kurir”,  “Serbia is a country of corn and pigs”:

“Export of meat to the EU after 30 years reminds us that we have already exported meat to the EU and that we will revive that livestock production sector. That export, 30 years ago, was the only thing driving the development of the country. As soon as a pig disease, such as the African swine fever virus, occurs, there are problems with exports. ”

The main reason for the cessation of exports is the vaccination against swine fever, which was performed in our country, and which is banned in the EU.

“Of the total export of agricultural products, 52 per cent went to the European market, and this will now further improve the share in exports for that market and thus improve the overall situation”, Prostran also told the Belgrade paper.

We are now opening new markets which means new opportunities. Everything we produce in the fields, we can pass through the livestock fund and create additional value,” Nedimović added in Brussels, after having reached an agreement.

In addition, Serbia was allowed to submit requests for the export of live cattle, “Danas” reports.

Long-term and successful fight against animal diseases

Serbia is one of several European countries involved in the suppression and eradication of Lumpy skin disease and African swine fever. This is a European Union project – “DEFEND”, which involves a consortium of 30 laboratories, including the Veterinary Specialist Institute in Kraljevo

It is also an important task, having in mind that every pig infected with the African swine fever virus dies and that the lumpy skin disease is extremely painful for the animal. “Eradicating these diseases does not only benefit animals, but it also prevents losses in the livestock business.”

“We were included in the “Defend” project since we had direct experience with the lumpy skin disease that appeared in our country in 2016, thanks to our results when it came to suppressing the disease. In two and a half months the entire cattle population in Serbia was vaccinated – we managed to stop the disease at the borders with the EU, and as a form of recognition and appreciation of our experience, we joined the project in order to share our findings with our European colleagues”, Miso Kolarevic, director of the Kraljevo Institute, recently said.