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The largest number of Serbian companies ever this year will present their fresh produce to international buyers from all over the world at the Fruit Logistica Fair in Berlin.

The largest number of Serbian companies ever this year will present their fresh produce to international buyers from all over the world at the Fruit Logistica Fair in Berlin. Under the slogan Serbia Naturally and occupying two pavilions, the finest selection of produce will be presented by eighteen Serbian companies.

The rich display of produce includes the most exquisite selection of organically grown fruits, vegetables and exotic wild mushrooms. Strawberries, garden cherries, organic apples, sweet peppers, onions and the newest varieties of fresh raspberries are just some of the featured produce.

The export of Serbian fresh produce has experienced exponential growth in the last couple of years. The quick adoption of the latest harvesting and post harvest techniques, rapid implementation of GlobalGAP, ISO and Organic certification and the introduction of new varieties suitable for the fresh market has ensured that Serbia establishes itself as one of the most trusted exporters in South Eastern Europe.

The exquisite array of Serbia's delicacies will be waiting for you at the two Serbia Naturally Pavilions. Get connected with Serbian producers at FRUIT LOGISTICA, from Feb 4 – 6, every day from 09:00 to 18:00, in Hall 21 stand A-03 and Hall 6.2 stand C-13.

The presentation of Serbian producers at FRUIT LOGOSTICA was made possible by The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia in coordination with SIEPA (Serbia Investment & Export Promotion Agency), USAID Agribusiness Project and German Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ).

For all additional information, please visit our website www.serbianfruit.com or contact us at info@serbianfruit.com

On Monday 22 December, the USAID Agribusiness Project organized one-day training for companies that will be participating at Fruit Logistica Fair in Berlin, the GulfFood Fair in Dubai and the BIOFACH Fair in Nuremberg. The aim of this training is to enhance their marketing, media communication and negotiation skills.

On Monday 22 December, the USAID Agribusiness Project organized one-day training for companies that will be participating at Fruit Logistica Fair in Berlin, the GulfFood Fair in Dubai and the BIOFACH Fair in Nuremberg. The aim of this training is to enhance their marketing, media communication and negotiation skills.

The event was opened by Maja Timotijevic, State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture. The participants were also addressed by Representatives of the Serbia and Montenegro Export Credit Agency (SMECA) and Serbian Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SIEPA).

The first presentation given by Remer Lane, USAID Agribusiness Project Marketing and Sales Director, focused on aspects of Strategic Sales at International Fairs. The second presentation on Marketing Communications and the generation of Publicity was given by Nikola Wurzburger, USAID Agribusiness Project Communications Specialist.

This event is one of a number of activities planned for the following weeks in preparation for the first International Fair in line, the Fruit Logistica in Berlin. The USAID Agribusiness Project in collaboration with SIEPA and the Ministry of Agriculture will assist ten Serbian companies to exhibit at the Serbian stand. An additional twenty companies will be assisted in attending the fair for the first time. The aim of this activity is to generate interest amongst potential Serbian exporters to take part at International Fairs. This trip will provide them with an understanding of how the international fairs operate, what to expect and how to prepare effectively.

Market research, networking, effective trade fair participation, design and distribution of promotional material are just a few examples of the technical support provided by the USAID Agribusiness Project to increase the sales and export of Serbian agribusiness products.

On Tuesday, 23 December 2008, at the TANJUG International Press Center, the USAID Agribusiness Project announced the launch of the International Standards Program.

On Tuesday, 23 December 2008, at the TANJUG International Press Center, the USAID Agribusiness Project announced the launch of the International Standards Program.

The Program will be implemented during 2009 and will comprise of two stages. During the first stage, GlogalGAP Seminars will be held throughout Serbia (Novi Sad, Subotica, Smederevo, Cacak and Nis).  During the second stage, the USAID Agribusiness Project will implement a process through which financial assistance for the implementation of GlobalGAP, ISO 14001 and ISO 22000 will be provided to interested Serbian food producers and exporters.

The primary goal of the Program is to improve the overall quality and competitiveness of Serbian agricultural products by facilitating the implementation of international quality and food safety standards.

Many countries have adopted and now enforce strict requirements regarding standardization and certification of processes and the quality of products. As a result, Serbian companies face rising technical constraints to exports that can be removed only by successful the implementation of quality management systems and international standards. In order to address this issue, the USAID funded Agribusiness Project has designed a support program for Serbian agribusinesses in the Process of International Standardization and Certification of their products.

During the Press Conference, Ms. Marilynn Schmidt, USAID Deputy Mission Director stated that, "International standards and requirements have become the norm in an increasingly demanding international market place.  Serbian exporters, like others around the world, will need to immediately begin to take steps to meet these standards and requirements if they want to compete on world markets". 

What is an ISO standard? An ISO standard is a documented agreement containing technical specifications or other precise criteria to be used consistently as rules, guidelines, or definitions of characteristics to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. It is a living agreement that can have a profound influence on things that deserve to be taken seriously - such as the safety, reliability and efficiency of machinery and tools, means of transport, toys, medical devices, and so on. The ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of some 157 countries, with a central office in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system and publishes the finished standards.

What is GlobalGAP? GlobalGAP is a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe. The GlobalGAP standard is primarily designed to reassure consumers about how food is produced on the farm by minimizing detrimental environmental impacts of farming operations, reducing the use of chemical inputs and ensuring a responsible approach to worker health and safety as well as animal welfare. Increasingly, importers of agricultural products only want to do business with exporters that meet GlobalGAP standards. This is why meeting these standards is so important for Serbian companies.

The Ethno Food Fair took place again this year from the 26th to the 29th of November at the Belgrade fair grounds with over 160 exhibitors and close to 4,000 visitors. These numbers are evidence of a growing interest in this event amongst producers and the Serbian public at large.

This year's Ethno Food Fair was funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Engineering and Water Management and the USAID Agribusiness Project and organized with the assistance of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. One of the main goals of the Ethno Food Fair is to provide continuous recognition and the appropriate branding of domestic and traditional Serbian products with the aim of increasing domestic sales and enabling exports to the international markets.

Individual food and beverage producers and their associations, equipment producers, processing companies, Regional Chambers of Commerce as well as business development and financial service providers such as banks, advisory institutions and investment funds all took part at the Ethno Food Fair this year.

The objective of this annual event is to gather as many industry stakeholders as possible in one place and provide a platform for them to meet, exchange ideas, create contacts and facilitate local food and beverage industry development and promote entrepreneurship in all regions of Serbia.

Another very important aspect of the Fair this year was that participants and visitors were provided with a chance to learn about new technologies and techniques in food and beverage production and processing. During the event, numerous side events and lectures were held on issues such as Organic Production and associated Laws and Regulations; HASSP and other related Standards; Geographic Origin Protection; the place of Ethno Food in International food trade; and Marketing, Branding and Packaging issues amongst many others.

For further details, kinldy contact Ms. Tatjana Mrvaljevic, USAID Agribusiness Marketing and Sales Advisor.

The Business Base Fair took place between the 27th and the 29th of November at the Belgrade Fair Grounds. This annual event funded by the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium- sized Enterprises and Entrepreneurship, with this year's slogan "A step to Success" aims to increase the competitiveness of SMEs; assist in faster application of new technologies and innovation; speed up SME Certification and Standardization processes; develop youth and women entrepreneurship and foster exports.

The USAID Agribusiness Project in collaboration with the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium- sized Enterprises and Entrepreneurship launched the Guide to Agribusiness Financing. This publication aims to provide a comprehensive guide to sources of financing available to producers, producer organizations, associations and cooperatives. It provides a guide to the necessary registrations and legal procedures, Government of Serbia subsidies, development assistance funding and commercial financing. This publication will be distributed by the USAID Agribusiness Project to its wide network of partners; producers and producer organizations; agricultural cooperatives and associations.

A considerable number of SMEs were present at the Fair, as well as numerous large public sector enterprises, regional centers, national agencies and ministries, regional chambers of commerce, entrepreneur associations, public institutions, representatives of the various local governments, international and bilateral development agencies, banks and leasing companies and institutes and scientific - research centers.

The event boasted a rich accompanying program which featured educational programs, seminars and workshops designed to bring the visitors and exhibitors up to date on current business issues and events as well as to coach them on business start-up and business development.

For any further information, kindly contact Mr. Nenad Popadic, USAID Agribusiness Project Financial Advisor at; +381 11 243 66 11 or by E Mail: nenad_popadic@agrobiznis.net

To download the Guide in Serbian, follow this link: Guide to Agribusiness Financing