The best domestic fruits and vegetables were exhibited by dozens of producers, and awards were presented for contributions to sustainable business.
In the presence of numerous dignitaries, the Delez Srbija retail chain organized the National Food Festival for the second time today. This event brought together dozens of domestic fruit and vegetable producers but also conveyed messages about the importance of the synergy of science and economy with the aim of raising the level of product quality, as well as consolidating domestic production.
The official opening was attended by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management in the Government of Serbia Jelena Tanasković, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia Marko Čadež, representatives of ministries, the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, members of the academic community, businessmen, local producers, and partners of the Delez company.
Today, producers from Srem, Mačva, Banat, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Čačak, Leskovac, and Pirot, as well as other parts of Serbia, exhibited over 30 types of agricultural products. The guests and visitors of the Festival had a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the rich assortment of fruits and vegetables that we find every day at the Maxi markets and to learn first-hand about the origin and method of their production. A special segment of the Festival was dedicated to the “Maxi Aggregators” initiative. The company is implementing this project together with large local suppliers – Delta Agrar, Agro Bel, Zelena zvezda, Agro Zin, and Agro Team, in order to contribute to the consolidation of domestic procurement, connection with small producers and in this way ensure an increased share of Serbian fruits and vegetables on the shelves of this chain.
The festival was officially opened by the general director of Delhaize Serbia, Jan-Willem Dockhejr, who thanked all partners for years of mutual support and cooperation. He stated that the company bought 54,000 tons of fruits and vegetables from Serbian fields during the previous year and that the plan is to increase these quantities year after year.
“Today we have gathered people who are responsible for the production of the best fruits and vegetables, as well as our partners from the Faculty of Agriculture and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with whom we continuously work to raise the level of product quality.” From this summer, citizens of Serbia will only be able to find numerous new varieties of fruits and vegetables with the trademark ‘No pesticide residues’ at MAXI markets, and it is the projects that are a synergy of science and economy that form the basis on which we want to develop our business,” said Jan. -Willem in his opening address emphasizing the importance of the structural support that the state provides to farmers in their development.
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Jelena Tanasković, said that the Ministry will continue to strongly support any initiative of this kind, which contributes to the promotion of domestic products and their quality, as well as additional support in their placement on the market and the determination of consumers to choose ours when purchasing Serbian products.
“Agriculture and food production are areas extremely important for the Republic of Serbia. In addition to tradition and natural benefits, our manufacturers have the knowledge, will, and experience to improve their business. The placement of our agricultural and food products on the world market speaks best of the quality of our food. Last year, a new record in exports of agri-food products worth 4.7 billion euros, and this year we expect that amount to be even bigger, “Tanasković said. Tanasković emphasized that the Ministry will continue to work on the creation of a legal environment of geographical origin and national quality schemes, as well as defining the support measures for improving domestic production and products with indications of origin and quality.
In the second Maxi National Food Festival, awards were awarded for a special contribution to sustainable business. Agro Bell pointed out the development of raspberry and blackberries without the remains of pesticides and is one of five aggregators that bring together 50 small local producers and thus contribute to the development of local communities in Serbia. Novitas Konsalt is recognized as a company that employs people with disabilities, but it is also the proud holder of numerous awards for quality in agriculture. Medvedj is the largest homemade carrot manufacturer and company thanks to which this culture in this trade chain comes exclusively from the domestic field.
The second Maxi National Food Festival paid special attention to cooperation with local aggregators – companies that connect the trade chain and small producers. At the “Maxi aggregators” panel, the participants emphasized the exceptional importance of this concept, but also the numerous benefits that local farmers achieve within its framework. It was concluded that the benefit is multiple, because the associated small domestic producers receive a clear roadmap for the application of quality and safety standards, thanks to which they can market their goods more easily. This directly affects their competitiveness in the European markets and also provides a strong stimulus to the domestic economy and the development of local communities. A special view on this topic was given by the attaché for agriculture of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Koon van Heeneken, from whose country this concept of development of domestic production was taken.
The special guest of the second Maxi National Food Festival was the bard of food preparation and world TV personality, Dutch chef Rudolf van Wien, who demonstrated his skills at the Belgrade Fair using only fresh and high-quality foods produced in Serbia, which are on the Maxi supermarket shelves every day.
Two Rivers designed and organized the second National Food Festival for Delhaize Serbia.
