CLUSTERS OF FRUIT-GROWERS

6. November 2012.

Source: Jugpress / Leskovac – The first cluster of fruit-growers from the Jablanica and Pcinj region was established yesterday at the Center for Development of Jablanica and Pcinj Districts.

The EU "Progress provided support to the project.

Radule Ristović, a senior coordinator of the EU "Progress" in South Serbia, said that that project had been recognized as one of top priorities for South Serbia.

"The process of clustering and providing support to private entrepreneurship is one of the priorities of the program. This is the third cluster that has been formed in this area. Before that, we formed a tourism cluster '"Radan Mt.", as well as a cluster that brings together producers of dairy products from Pester Mt.”

The employees of the Center for the Development of Jablanica District believe that fruit manufacturers and processors will, by their joint appearance on the market, achieve many benefits, starting from the price of their products to the conquest of new markets.

"The role of the Center for Development is to support this idea, while we set up a regional cluster of fruit-growers by organizing a series of workshops and meetings. The center recognized here one more of its projects called "the production of organic food". We think that in that way we will help members of the cluster to successfully appear both on domestic and foreign markets. Persons gathered around the cluster can expect a reduction in the costs of buying things needed for fruit- growing, as well as in transport costs, "said Bojan Petkovic.

Currently involved in the cluster are ten fruit processors, as well as four institutions, which include three high schools and the Faculty of Technology in Leskovac.