Prilep, 28 April 2023 (MIA) — Tobacco is the country's most important export crop and brings in the most foreign currency so the government respects and values the work of tobacco growers, paying tobacco subsidies even two months ahead of time, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Ljupcho Nikolovski said Friday in Prilep.

Minister Nikolovski was in Prilep to meet with tobacco growers and make sure they received the subsidies for their last year's crop, he said.

"In just one day, 26 million euros in subsidies were paid out to some 16,000 tobacco producers," the agriculture minister said. 

"We fulfilled our promise to tobacco growers. We promised that this large payment would be made by the end of April, which is two months before the legal deadline. Tobacco is an important crop for the country. It is also a crop that is difficult to grow. We respect and value the toil of tobacco growers," he added.

Tobacco growing is a Macedonian tradition and tobacco is the country's most exported product, followed by wine and canned foods. mr/