Bosnia's milk import chokes local producer

That's what was said at the Club of Producers table, where it was discussed not to implement the Ministry of Trade and Industry decision (MTI) for milk protection measures imported by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Kosovo Producers Club Secretary-General Vladznim Osmani has said the need for protective measures for milkmakers is more than necessary, because the situation in the milk industry sector is disturbing.

The question of not implementing these measures on milk products from Bosnia is causing irrequable damage to the milk industry right now, especially in the summer season. We are talking about a state like Bosnia, which has actually never recognised as a state and practices numerous barriers to our products there”, Osmani said.

The chairman of the Association of Kosovo Milky Farmers, Besim Red, has welcomed MTI's decision on Bosnia's milk products measures, but has expressed surprise why this is not being implemented by Kosovo Customs.

He said much has been damaged by failure to implement the decision, as domestic milk production has been greatly reduced and losses are not being covered.

We don't have any other products that can cover the losses caused by milk. So he must be careful when we approach this primary product. We have lobbied and spent a long time against the unfair import of milk and milk products from Bosnia and Herzegovina”, Red said.

Alush Kryeziu, representative from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has said that the trend of increasing importation of milk products is on the rise and that local producers are drowning, so the MTI has sought to take measures to protect local producers.

And this growth tendency has continued in the first three months of 2018, and we've thought that this is an increase that affects local production. As a second meter from the Ministry of Agriculture's data, we have come to a conclusion that started a drop in 2017 for 81 thousand liters, which has contributed to the reduction in milk production in Kosovo. As the third parameter, it has also been the price of imports on the domestic market in Kosovo. In this direction we have come to a conclusion on the basis of the tests we have done, that the import of milk from Bosnia and Herzegovina is at lower prices than other imports”, Kryeziu said.

The adviser to the Ministry of Finance, Lulzim Rafuna, has said the MTI's decision has had legal uncertainty, and for this reason the Government of Kosovo must impose Customs on whether to implement the safeguard clause or not.

“There was a lack of legal clarification, now clarified and the decision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry should go through the Government so that the Government would impose Customs for implementation, because we had a case in 2012 where we because of the court's decision procedure have been obligated to give milkmen just this kind of measures back to them a huge sum, and we didn't want to repeat it”, Rafuna said.

MP PSD, Dardan Sejdiu, has said it makes no sense that this move does not find application for local producers.

Whether the Ministry of Commerce made a decision was not meant to spend 60 days until the government approves or refused that decision. It seems a little problematic to me that under a government, the minister, who is responsible for industrial trade policies, should not have enough strength and power to implement such a move for even 60 days”, Sejdiu said.

While, Professor Muhamet Mustafa has said the situation in the milk sector is not good, as it has reduced production capacities despite ongoing subsidies. According to him, problems are in free trade.

Even Ramadan Memaj, chairman of the Kosovo Association of Tribes, has said it has no meaning to expect two months to enforce a right for producers.