In a formal ceremony at the Palace of Serbia, on October 13, the first IPARD III grant approvals were handed over to agricultural farms from different parts of Serbia.
The approvals were presented to recipients by the EU Ambassador to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, and Serbia’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Dragan Glamočić.
Grants were awarded to agricultural producers from various parts of Serbia – including Šid, Bogatić, Pirot, Surčin, Vrbas, and Vršac. Among the recipients was Miloš Tomić from Novi Karlovci, who secured support through the IPARD III public call for the construction and equipping of a pig fattening farm.
“This investment is a key step forward for our family farm. My goal is to build a modern facility based on the latest technological standards and maximum efficiency”, Tomić said.
Grant winners
Support was also granted to the company NANDRA d.o.o. from Vrbas, which is implementing a €1 million investment in vegetable storage facilities, a 50kW solar power plant, and a wastewater treatment facility.
“Our family has been engaged in agriculture for two generations, and we aim to keep pace with modern technologies and continuously improve our production”, said Nađa Papić, a company representative.
Other grant recipients include Miroslav Šestić, Dragana Paunić, the company BIO GREEN TECHNOLOGY d.o.o., Mihalj Pavle David, Snežana Paunić, IMPERATOR d.o.o., Dušan Babić, and Aleksandar Mančić. Their projects range from the modernization of production capacities to the construction and equipping of farms, wineries, and renewable energy facilities.
EU Ambassador to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath
Speaking at the event, EU Ambassador von Beckerath emphasized the importance of continuing the program and ensuring swift implementation.
“As national institutions work on accrediting new measures, it is crucial to accelerate the process so that funds can quickly reach Serbian farmers and agribusinesses. We believe that lessons learned from previous phases will help speed up implementation, and we encourage all stakeholders to take advantage of the opportunities IPARD provides”, the ambassador said.
Minister Glamočić also addressed the recipients, highlighting that the IPARD III program brings €378 million in funding—€288 million from the European Union and €90 million from the Republic of Serbia’s budget.
“With the co-financing of farmers themselves, this translates into over half a billion euros in investment for Serbian agriculture. These are funds that transform rural areas—building farms, planting orchards, installing solar panels, modern cold storage units, and digital tools. Each project means more food from Serbia, more stability for rural communities, and a stronger national economy”, Glamočić stated.
The IPARD program serves as a powerful instrument for supporting agricultural producers and processors, helping them modernize operations, boost productivity, and increase competitiveness. The awarding of these first grants marks a concrete step forward in the continued development of Serbian agriculture.
