Agriculture and Food Processing

Agriculture and Food Processing

Although much of the country is mountainous, there are over 1.5 million hectares of agricultural land in Bosnia and Herzegovina, both for crop growing and livestock rearing. The plains to the south and west of the Sava River offer ideal conditions for growing wheat, maize and vegetables, and industrial crops such as flax and hemp. Much of the land is free from chemical fertilizers and the routine use of pesticides.

All these conditions provide a superb environment for the production of a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, with a possibility to harvest crops and fruits up to three times a year. A USAID Business Consulting Report identified great market potential for the BiH fruit and vegetable producers.

There are an estimated 14 million trees producing plums, pears, apples and other fruits, for export and fruit-juice production. Given the potential of organic produce and pure water supplies, it is easy to understand why international food and drink producers and distributors have recognized the value of this sector. The warmer regions in Herzegovina have, for centuries, been the centre of wine production, tobacco farming and the cultivation of lavender and other aromatic herbs. BiH is also known for its high-quality medicinal herbs used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Fish farms, family-owned or industrial-size, thrive in the clear, unpolluted rivers that criss-cross the country. Foreign companies have already taken advantage of investment opportunities in the sector, but still more remain to be seized.

More info at:

FIPA brochure Agriculture and Food Processing Industry,  2011 (pdf)

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