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At today’s press conference of Macedonian Chambers of Commerce (MCC) led by the President of Agro-Business Chamber of Commerce, Mr.Ognen Orovcanec, It was discussed about the climate changes as the most serious threats to the agribusiness sector in Macedonia and concrete proposals for the implementation of new technologies in this sector that will contribute to mitigating the negative consequences in the agro-business.
In line with the evident climatic changes that actually occur, we would like to emphasize their impact specifically on this year’s harvest – and further emphasize the importance of the implementation of the modern technology in the agro-business in order to maintain the competitiveness in the market and improve the product quality.
Last year in Macedonia, the total planted area with wheat was 75,316 hectares of which 13.996 hectares were planted by agricultural enterprises and 61 320 hectares of individual producers. Of this area, it was realized harvest of 193 240 tons of wheat of which 38,165 tons of agricultural enterprises and 155 075 tons from individual producers. As for performance, from these figures, we can bring a conclusion for the greater production per hectare of agricultural enterprises than for individual producers which is also an indicator of the level of implementation of modern technologies in the production process.
The total need of R. Macedonia for wheat is around 330,000 tons, of which:
280,000 tons – Mercantile wheat for bread and bakery products
32,000 tons – seeds
18,000 tons for state reserves
This year, according to the weather conditions which were somewhat better than last year, we expect a better race, that is, greater yield per hectare is generally the average yield from last year to 2.6 tons per hectare. This would mean reducing the need to import wheat and flour which unfortunately in the last 3 years has seen an increasing trend. Just last year in Macedonia were imported 97,538 tons of wheat and 47,835 tons of flour and the highest percentage of Serbia.
In order to intensify the national production and as a result of the communication with members of the Agro-Business Chamber in terms of climate changes taking place in recent years, there is an evident need for application of additional – modern technologies that will help to realize the continuity of agro-technological measures required for crops from various sectors regardless of the weather conditions and their consequences.
Due to the current need within the season and according to the needs of the companies, we would like to encourage and promote the use of different small aircraft types such as drones, vs. gyroplanes, and various small aircraft or without engine in the treatment of agricultural crops as foliar feeding, fertilizing and protection from disease by application of herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Their use in the agriculture takes a swing, but unfortunately in our country, this is still a novelty and the effects they generate are great.
Namely, in this period of rainfall, the implementation of agro-technical measures is impossible- which would mean entering the appropriate machinery in the very fields, but with the use of such technology, the process is maximally simplified and the damage to crops at the entrance of the machinery in the fields is minimized. The use of such modern small aircraft can be individually performed by entering the coordinates of the field where it is necessary to carry out spraying itself to complete the entire process with minimal need of manpower. This is significantly applicable in Macedonia because on the one hand the sown fields are fragmented and small areas where inapplicable always use a larger aircraft for spraying, on the other hand, their use is economically favorable.
In addition, the implementation of scientific achievements in the framework of the introduction and selection of varieties greatly contributes to adaptation of crops to new climatic conditions and the fight against drought, frost and high temperatures.
March 23, 2016
