Perspectives, current situation and challenges put in front of cooperatives in Serbia, the Balkans and the entire EU were discussed at the “Master” Congress Center, during the conference “State and Perspectives of Cooperatives in the Region in the International Year of Cooperatives.” The event was organized by the Cooperative Union of Vojvodina, the panel discussion featured participants from Serbia, Romania, Republika Srpska, Croatia, North Macedonia and Italy.
In the year the UN had named the Year of Cooperatives it is important that the 92nd International Agricultural Fair organized such a significant conference – emphasized Slobodan Cvetković, CEO of the Novi Sad Fair. - Together with the Cooperative Union of Vojvodina, as our longtime partner, we as hosts and organizers recognized that the subject of cooperatives is significant to our farmers. In cooperation with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Chamber of Commerce of Vojvodina, we are aiming to reach conclusions about the directions cooperatives in Serbia should take and how the potential capacities of this model of association be enhanced. The Cooperatives have always been in the foundations of agriculture and I think a great setback happened after the breakup of the SFRY, FRY, Serbia and Montenegro, when cooperatives ceased to function as before. Besides helping our farmers get more lucrative inputs – seeds, cooperatives also had an important role in procuring market placement for various products. At this moment, I am convinced, that this is exactly what our producers are missing today.
The President of the Cooperative Union of Vojvodina, Jelena Nestorov Bizonj, pointed out the fact that the third-ever cooperative in the world was founded in Bački Petrovac. Further, she stated how that places Serbia amongst other worldwide countries with the longest cooperative tradition.
Cooperatives have existed for almost 180 years, which proves how vital and significant this form of association is. Cooperatives are the past and the future and can certainly contribute to developing agriculture and other sectors. Our domestic cooperatives need greater state support, not only through agricultural incentives but also through tax stimulus and other supportive policies. In addition, awareness and knowledge about cooperatives must be raised. Many farmers have witnessed how much help can come from Cooperatives in difficult periods for agrarian production. Unification is not only about farmers joining into cooperatives but also cooperatives working with other cooperatives. This conference is an opportunity to find out how far can this model of unification go, what are the possibilities for the members of cooperatives, how cooperative consortiums function, and what are the benefits of this model of association in general.
Antonio Ventresca from the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) underlined the importance of cooperation between Italy and Serbia, as well as the cooperation with the Novi Sad Fair. Additionally, the conference on cooperatives is a chance to exchange knowledge and observe various models and methods used in Italy.
As an Agency, we wanted to enhance cooperation in the agricultural sector and point out some models of modernization in the area of cooperatives. Throughout many activities at this year’s fair, the focus is on promoting all the advantages of cooperatives for agricultural producers, both globally and locally.
