Representatives of the Association of Agricultural Producers – Dairies of the Republika Srpska agreed on the conclusions yesterday after the session of the Board of Directors, which was attended by members from 12 municipalities and cities of the RS. At the center of the conversation were the incentives for 2025 and the rules that will define support in 2026, as well as broader issues, from the Cattle Breeding Program to EU integration and declaring products on the market.
Premium per head and greater volume of support
The association requests that the money intended for dairies be paid to dairies and that the funds planned “per throat” not be diverted to other branches. In particular, they insist that the premium be tied to milking cows that have proper records and implemented health measures, instead of calves, stressing that production must be viewed through what the farm actually carries.
“A milking parlor is a milking parlor – it has a milk card and implemented health measures,” said the Association, with the request that support be further strengthened in order to ease the pressure of rising costs. In this context, they emphasize the need to increase the premium and provide larger quantities of regressed diesel per head, as one of the key items of production.
Strategy, EU negotiations and the fight against fraud on the market
The topic of the Cattle Breeding Program 2026-2030, which the line ministry recently published in its working version, was opened at the session. The association believes that such a document should not lead to a weakening of support, especially for small farms in hilly and mountainous areas, and requests the formation of a new working group in which producers would be directly involved in the work.
When it comes to EU integration, dairies demand that the sector be treated as sensitive in the negotiations, with the view that premiums should not be questioned in the first period after possible entry into the EU, until production approaches the standards of developed countries.
Particularly harsh messages were sent because of products that are presented on the market as dairy, even though they contain vegetable oils and fats. The Association warns that such a practice lowers the price of raw milk and further endangers domestic production, and they demand immediate regulation of the declaration.
“It is URGENTLY necessary to adopt acts that will enable clear labeling of products that are not made from milk”, the conclusions state, with the Association’s assessment that “at least 20% of milk and milk products” contain other sources of protein and fat. As an example, they cite the practice of Serbia, where with the introduction of additional requirements for the labeling of products with palm oil and related fats, according to the information they received from the competent institutions, the demand for such products quickly fell.
The association says that the goal is to save farms, protect consumers and stop further degradation of domestic milk production through fairer incentives, more realistic development documents and clear market rules. Acts.
