" - Open letter to Kosovo institutions

Honored institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, Drena, as part of the local milk industry and food production, feels the obligation to raise concerns about the country's increasingly difficult situation.

Farms are now endangered, local production is threatened, and imports addiction is increasing.

Meanwhile, local producers and processors face high costs, lack of sufficient support and uneven competition from imported products.

A particular concern is the use of palm oil and powder milk. While local producers are facing severe restrictions and controls, imported products containing plant fats, palm oil, and recombined products of powder continue to enter our market freely.

This creates inequality in the market and puts the local producer and processing into unfavourable competitive positions. We do not require privileges or protection, but equal treatment, transparency and rules similar to those in the EU.

Development of the livestock sector should be done together. Institutions have helped through subsidies and grants to farmers, while we, as an industry, have guaranteed the collection of local milk, invested in technology, organised training and supported farmers even in the most difficult periods, such as during the pandemic. We have often developed stocks and suffered losses just to keep the local farmer out of the market.

However, local processors continue not to gain direct support, while in investment for diversification we have been treated unjustly by the EZB.

Therefore, we ask: • equal treatment for local and imported products, • subvention for milk processing per litre, • export support, • priorities for local products in state institutions, • awareness campaigns for the consumption of local products, and the creation of state reserves with local products.

We are willing to sit down with the institutions and contribute with concrete ideas and solutions to the strengthening of farmer, production processing and credibility “Made in Kosova”.

Strengthening local production is not only economic interest ʹ is national and strategic interest in Kosovo's future. Together we do it!

Respectfully, Drenna

Pristina, Kosovo