North Macedonia announces support measures for Vranec grape producers

North Macedonia’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, Borche Serafimovski, has announced a series of measures to support the agricultural sector, specifically targeting the purchase of Vranec grapes and easing subsidy conditions.

To improve liquidity for wineries during intensive harvest periods, the government will propose extending the grace period for credit usage from three to 18 months. This will be followed by an additional 18-month repayment period at a fixed annual interest rate of one percent. From a total credit line of 793.48 million denars (approximately 12.9 million euros), 553.48 million denars are allocated for Vranec grape purchases, while 240 million denars are designated for barley. Notably, produced wine may be used as collateral for these loans.

Furthermore, the Ministry plans to remove the requirement for producers to have sold or delivered at least 30 percent of their production to qualify for subsidies. This change aims to assist producers in viticulture, fruit growing, and field crops facing adverse weather and market placement issues. The Ministry will also initiate market inspections and contact the Commission for Protection of Competition to investigate potential market abuse, unfair trading practices, or illegal coordination among buyers.