Skopje, 30 October 2025 (MIA) — Over the next three months, all preschools in the country will receive two kinds of locally grown fruit per week, so that each preschooler gets a kilogram of fruit each week to eat as part of their daily snack at preschool, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Cvetan Tripunovski announced on a visit to Little Deer Preschool in Skopje's Aerodrom Municipality.

According to Tripunovski, as part of the government's Program for Encouraging the Consumption of Fresh Fruit for 2025, around 38,000 children in all preschools nationwide will receive homegrown fruit.

The program is financed with 40 million denars from the budget to procure 880,000 kg of fruit from local farmers. For the first time, some of the fruit will be organic, which has lower levels of pesticide residue.

"Children deserve the 'Macedonian Best' from a young age. Every child deserves a healthy diet and every farmer deserves support. Together we are building a healthy future for children and sustainable development for Macedonian agriculture," the agriculture minister said.

Tripunovski said the program was an investment in children's health by building healthy eating habits from an early age. He also said it supported Macedonian farmers.

"Through the direct purchase of homegrown fruit, the ministry contributes to strengthening agricultural production and ensuring a stable market for farmers," he said. mr/