VEGETABLE AND FRUIT COMPLEX WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY “BIJELJINA” UNIVERSITY “BIJELJINA” FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE

Bijeljina The Municipality of Bijeljina is located at the southern edge of the Pannonian plain and generally coincides with Semberian plain, which gradually transforms into hills of Majevica in the southern part. Fertile land is an excellent basis for the development of agriculture, on which the predominant part of the income of the region is based, and Semberija is considered as the breadbasket of Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The most abundant in crops growth are cereals with 80% (wheat, corn, barley), vegetables with 8% (cabbage - which was the most recognizable trademark of Semberija all around the former Yugoslavia, watermelon, cucumber, pepper, tomato...) and industrial crops and fodder 12% (sugar beet, tobacco, alfalfa...). During the average fruitful years, this region produces 55,000 tons of wheat (average yield 4t/ha), 160,000 tons of corn (average yield 6t/ha), 1,200 barley (average yield 4t/ha), as well as tons of various vegetables.

UNIVERSITY “BIJELJINA” FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE The Faculty of Agriculture consists of three study programs, Agricultural Production, Agroeconomics and Plant Health Protection. These study programs last for eight semesters or four years. The key role of the development of agriculture is in the education of the staff with university degrees. Faculty of Agriculture in Bijeljina is an educational and scientific institution that performs educational and scientific research activities in the field of agricultural economy and agronomy in general. Trained personnel should have a crucial influence on the development of agriculture and the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole, through the modernization of the level and structure of production, and its alignment with social needs and market demands. Consequently, one of the goals of this project is the education of students that will acquire knowledge through practical experience during their studies and contribute in raising the agricultural production in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a higher level, as well as beyond its borders. Bearing in mind that the area of the Municipality of Bijeljina handles over 53,000 acres of land, Faculty of Agriculture has affirmed its activities towards the needs of the local community, by continuously working on educating farmers through seminars and conferences.

THE AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT VEGETABLE COMPLEX To build the first vegetable complex, spreading over the area of ​​ 5,000 square meters, which will be unique to this region due to the professional and scientific approach. The complex will have both, as educational, as well as commercial character, because in addition to the purpose of gaining practical knowledge in the field of agriculture, students of the Faculty of Agriculture will get a proactive role through earning profits. This complex will: - By methods and cultivation in accordance to all European standards will set an example of good practice in growing healthy food. - Promote domestic production with its quality, reduce the deficit in imports and provide safe exports. In what manner and why? - Vegetables (cucumber, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, lettuce, cabbage) produced in a greenhouse on the principle of integrated agricultural production. They will be produced in the soil, not in the internal substrates. Intense heating technology will be applied with the use of solid and liquid organic fertilizers. - Production in greenhouses allows better distribution of the workforce on a yearly basis - continuity of employment, longer period of coverage of the market with fresh products, gain of income throughout the year, achievement of higher quantity of yields per area unit, reduce in the use of energy and chemical synthetic materials on the soil, secure control of production in comparison to the unfavorable conditions of the micro- location.

FRUIT COMPLEX The complex area of ​​ 40,000 square meters on which will be grown one of the best sorts of fruit in Europe (Mazzoni - Bibaum) Professional growth of fruits based on scientific methods, according to all European standards. Educational complex for students, promotional complex of healthily grown domestic products. Unique domestic products in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that would reduce imports from other countries. Area: 40,000 square meters Number of plants: 10,500 seedlings Type of fruit: Apple. Orchard covered with irrigation system (drop- by-drop).

INVESTMENTS Total value of the project: 1,190,000 Euros Vegetable Complex: 500,000 Euros Fruit complex: 300,000 Euros Personal investment: Land, laboratories, professional and professorial staff - 390,000 Euros Investor’s investment: 800,000 Euros Type of cooperation: Joint venture Profit sharing: Will be determined later through discussions with the investor.