TİKA Supports Family Businesses in Montenegro

TİKA put a smile on the faces of Montenegrin farmers with the Raspberry Cultivation Project, a subcomponent of Agricultural Development Programs, which were launched in the Balkans to increase the qualified workforce, develop agricultural projects across countries, provide access to food, and reduce unemployment.

The agricultural sector has a traditional and strategic place in the development of Montenegro’s economy. In Montenegro, the agricultural sector is the third sector in terms of its share in GDP (9%), after the industrial sector and the service sector. Operating in Montenegro since 2007, TİKA has implemented many projects to boost the country’s economy, reduce migration, enable the country to achieve self-sufficiency in employment and prioritized fields, and provide access to food.

Agricultural input subsidies increased production

TİKA launched the Raspberry Cultivation Project in the cities of Pljevlja, Bijelo Polje, Petnjica, and Plav in the Sandžak region. 33,000 saplings were distributed to Montenegrin farmers as part of the Raspberry Cultivation Project, which aims to enable young people to start a business in their own villages. With these saplings, a total of 4,000 sq. meters of raspberry gardens were created. According to farmers who harvested the first crops in 2018, they harvest an average of 800-1000 kg of raspberries at a time.

Supply from the solution-oriented field to the market

While the fruits of the saplings distributed meet the needs of the domestic market, they can also be exported to the European Union, the largest market, since they meet industry standards in the international market. The project provides families with a side income of approximately 800 to 1,500 Euros per year. TİKA continues to develop solutions to support producers in increasing the quality of products, improving domestic and international market opportunities, and developing export strategies in Montenegro, which has significant agricultural potential.

Juso Dervišević, who is a retired person living in the city of Bijelo Polje and a beneficiary of the project, stated that he started cultivating raspberry with the support of TİKA and was satisfied with the produce. Dervišević noted that he hoped he would harvest more products this year compared to last year with the second harvest in July, and expressed his gratitude to Turkey, the Turkish people, and TİKA for the support provided.