BRATUNAC – Raspberry is one of the most important fruit crops in Bosnia and Herzegovina and represents an important source of income for many families during the summer months.
Raspberry harvest season in full swing
The raspberry harvest season is in full swing, and the plantations are especially lively these days.
Each harvested kilogram is the result of many months of work, investment and care for the plantations.
Good crop
For this year’s season, Podrinje raspberry growers expect a good harvest, but they are looking for a satisfactory purchase price.
Ivan Stojanović, president of the association of raspberry growers of Bratunac, Srebrenica and Milići “Vilamet”, is among those who enter the harvest season with optimism.
On five dunums of the plantation, Stojanović produces about eight tons of raspberries per year.
“Every local community in the area of Bratunac is covered by an irrigation system, which greatly contributes to better yields. Many raspberry growers, due to earlier problems, destroyed their raspberry plantations, but we hope that those who continued production will achieve good results this year. We expect a production of about 300 tons, although in the past in the Birač region, annual production reached 2,500 tons. We also hope for a uniform purchase price throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. and for this year’s season, we expect it to be between 9 and 10 KM per kilogram,” said Feni Stojanović.
This year’s purchase of raspberries, as he stated, will be done by a cold store from Kiseljak, from which the producers expect fair treatment and a satisfactory price. “We ask that the purchase prices be harmonized with all manufacturers and that there is no difference. It is unacceptable that one refrigerator offers a lower price and another a higher price, because this is an unfair attitude towards the producers and harms their work. We sincerely hope that we will achieve a successful and correct cooperation with the refrigerator from Kiseljak to our mutual satisfaction,” said Stojanović.
The most common and sought-after variety
The most represented and sought-after variety in the area is Vilamet, which is characterized by good fruit quality and stable yields.
“The basic range consists of the Vilamet variety, which accounts for about 70 percent of the total production due to its recognition and high demand on the world market. In addition to it, the Miker, Tulamin, autumn raspberry varieties, as well as blackberries are also represented in the production. The quality of the fruits is very good, and dry years are mostly favorable for growing raspberries and achieving a high-quality yield,” says Stojanović.
He grows raspberries on about nine dunums
Dragan Simeunović from Milić has been growing raspberries for more than two decades. He grows raspberries on about nine dunums and achieves an annual yield of about 13 tons. In the coming period, he plans to expand production and raise new plantations so that the total area reaches one hectare.
“At the moment, I grow five varieties of raspberry, and the most common one is Vilamet. The biggest problem of all producers is the uncertainty about the purchase price. In addition, the constant price increases of raw materials, as well as increasingly frequent weather problems, represent a big challenge. However, regardless of all the difficulties, we work with love and hope that our efforts will pay off in the end,” Simeunović is optimistic.
Costs of raw materials
He notes that last year the costs of raw materials amounted to about 1,500 KM per dunum. Everything has become significantly more expensive, so the biggest problem is that the advance purchase price is determined late, which is why producers cannot plan their business.
“The problem is not in the purchase of raspberries, but in the fact that the purchase price is often not aligned with the actual costs of production, which increase from year to year. However, due to the appearance of a new buyer from Kiseljak, we hope that this year’s purchase price will be satisfactory. This year, the harvest is extremely good, and the quality of the fruit is excellent, so we believe that the market will recognize this,” he pointed out.
Young people show less and less interest in this job
He also believes that you can make a decent living from raspberry production, but that young people show less and less interest in this business.
“Raspberry cultivation requires a lot of responsibility, daily work and significant investments. Production is profitable, especially on larger areas, raspberry growing has a future. However, despite this, the number of young people who choose this activity is still small”, warns Simenunović.
