Skopje, 22 May 2025 (MIA) - Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Cvetan Tripunovski said Thursday that the new Law on Agriculture and Rural Development has been published in the Unique National Electronic Register of Regulations (ENER). The law is expected to serve as the foundation for the Ministry’s strategic direction and vision for the sector’s future.

“The new Law on Agriculture and Rural Development is now available on the ENER platform. It serves as the foundation for the Ministry’s strategic vision and future direction. We're developing the law transparently, in collaboration with all relevant parties, farmers’ associations, researchers, and other stakeholders. After the 30-day public consultation period on the platform, we will reconvene, collect all feedback and ideas, and organize public debates to ensure that the final version of the law truly reflects the direction in which we want to move,” Tripunovski said on Sitel TV.

“As a reminder, recently we announced a call through the Rural Development Program, where we subsidize or will assist agricultural cooperatives with 90 percent co-financing. According to me and the Government, these associations are the key to successfully promoting Macedonian products,” he said.

Regarding opposition accusations that the accreditation for European funds under IPARD III is at risk, Tripunovski emphasized that the accreditation is not endangered and that they are working on the accreditation of a new measure.

“The accreditation is absolutely not at risk. In fact, we are working on a new accreditation for the rural infrastructure measure, which will secure additional funds for our Macedonian municipalities to improve rural infrastructure. We are more successful, the numbers speak for themselves. Currently, over 60 percent of the IPARD European funds have been utilized,” he added.

“There is notable growth between the first quarters of 2024 and 2025. Data from the State Statistical Office indicates strong increases across all areas of agricultural production in terms of procurement and sales,” Tripunovski stated.

“We’ve seen a 42% rise in cereals, 50% in horticulture, and 12% in fruit and vineyards. In livestock including cattle, poultry, eggs, milk, and dairy products the increase ranges between 9% and as much as 63%,” he said.

“The Prime Minister shared some good news today: exports in the agricultural-food sector have grown by about 5 percent overall. In fruit and vegetables, exports are up 14 percent compared to last quarter, and tobacco exports have jumped 35 percent. In figures, exports were 152 million euros in Q1 2024 and 163 million euros this year, showing an increase of 11 million euros,” Tripunovski said.

Photo: video screenshot