Present at this conference were officials from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Trade and Industry of Kosovo as well as associations of producers of dairy products and business associations. Vllaznim Osmani from the Kosovo Manufacturing Club stated that the milk production sector has faced numerous challenges over the years and needs greater support from the country’s institutions. Focusing more on the problem at which the conference was held, Bosnia and Herzegovina as a country that has not yet recognized Kosovo’s independence has many barriers for local producers. He stated that “We as a Kosovo Manufacturing Club are in favor of a free market but this market should have equal conditions and free competition for everyone.” Besim Kuqi, chairman of the Kosovar Dairy Farmers Association, stated that the treatment of farmers in the past years has been derogatory. He also stressed that as an association they welcomed MTI’s decision on protective measures, given the fact that they have long advocated against the granting of dairy products from Bosnia and Herzegovina. “This sector is very important for the country’s economic development if we consider that there are some 2,000 farms with about 5 employees from one family,” he added.
Luzlim Rafuna from the Ministry of Finance said that the development of the manufacturing sector i.e. domestic producers is the Ministry’s priority and that decisions will be made to ensure that these producers produce at the lowest cost and develop further. “The Government did not object the Ministry’s decision but did not implement it either by seeking legal clarification. This clarification has already been resolved and we ask to respect the written legal provisions, ” said Mr.Rafuna.
Whereas, Muhamet Mustafa also confirmed that the dairy industry sector is a strategic sector, and despite numerous conclusions and suggestions the situation has not yet improved. This is noticed with the reduction of the number of cows, where from 2011 to date there are about 60 thousand heads of cows. “The Kosovo market is a small market where it is necessary to export, and this is only achieved through the competitive ability and the necessary safeguards”.
Alush Kryeziu, representative of the Ministry of Trade and Industry stated that the MTI’s decision of 16 April was based on two basic laws, the anti-dumping law and the law on protective measures. MTI has received a request from the Farmers’ Association and initiated an investigation in three areas: “After an investigation into the import analysis of dairy products, dairy products from Bosnia and Herzegovina have been steadily growing in Kosovo, where in 2016 the import was 36%, the same trend continued in the first months of this year. At the same time, the decline of domestic production has started with only 81 thousand liters of milk produced per day. And the third field of research has shown that the price of milk imports from Bosnia and Herzegovina is cheaper than other countries. “According to these findings, MTI has put 17% protective measures on dairy products imported from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Meanwhile, Dren Ajeti, legal officer at the Kosovo Manufacturers Club stated that the purpose of the safeguards in principle was the protection from the internal market disorder and the conditions that could potentially cause damage to the country’s economy.