President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Atifete Jahjaga, accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Mr. Blerand Stavileci, visited today the Morina family blackberry plantation, at the village of Loxha, Peja municipality, as part of the ongoing promotion of the locally produced agricultural products.
During the visit to the Morina family plantation, President Jahjaga was informed in a closer detail with all the work and engagements of the family in cultivation of small fruits and labouring conditions faced by the family. President Jahjaga and Minister Stavileci, together with the Morina family members, handpicked the blackberries at this family owned plantation.
President Jahjaga emphasized the importance of the provision of the institutional support to the local producers towards the advancement and development of the locally grown agricultural products.
Bellow is the full statement made by President Jahjaga after the visit to the blackberry plantation at Loxha village:
I have come here today, accompanied by the Agriculture Minister, Mr. Stavileci, to take a closer look at the work undertaken by our farmers in production of locally grown agricultural products, which, as you already know, have been exhibited at the capital city of our country, under the initiative and support of the ministry of Agriculture, in lieu of a better promotion of locally grown products. Today I had the opportunity, to, together with Uncle Sadik Morina, take a closer look at the work, engagement and dedication undertaken by this family here in Loxha village, as well as many other families and farmers all around our country, the engagement to deliver as many locally grown products, and thus enrich the dining tables of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo with better and more qualitative local products.
Production, cultivation and acquisition of small fruits, initially impacts the advancement of the wellbeing of the farmers, but it also impacts the possibility for placement and distribution of these products in our local markets as well as provision of an opportunity for further placement of these products into regional and external markets.
Each day we witness that production and cultivation of small fruits is increasing. I personally heard from the Morina family how much is required and how much one yields from the cultivation of small fruits, which will anyhow instigate the advancement of our internal market, but its major impact will be, which is also our aim, further advancement of the economy and economic advancement of our state.
I have come here to extend my institutional support for the advancement, progression and development of locally grown agricultural products. You already know that our main ambition is that these locally grown products dominate our markets as well as find placement in foreign markets, for which they must receive institutional support.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those organisations who have supported this project and projects alike currently being undertaken in Kosovo, and in particular the USAID, who, through certain special programmes, have provided support and also express my gratitude to the dedication of farmers to expand this filed continuously, in order to establish the required foundation for economic development and sustainability of our country. I am here to extend not only my support in my institutional capacity, but to offer any type of required support to jointly do whatever is necessary to achieve the domination of locally grown products in our markets and creation of opportunities for placement of such products in foreign markets, thus enriching our own dinner tables and sharing our locally grown products with others as well.