CONCERN KRESTO GRANTED CONCESSION TO PLANT WALNUTS IN BARANJA

ZAGREB, Sept 16 (Hina) - Croatia's Agriculture Ministry on Thursday signed a contract on giving a concession to the Austrian concern Kresto for an arable land in Baranja, eastern Croatia. This concessionaire is expected to plant walnut trees at about 750 hectares. These will be first steps in the industrial production of walnuts in Croatia as well as the largest plantation of walnut trees in Europe, said the Agriculture Minister Ivan Djurkic. In addition, the Austrian concern is to employ 150 workers and about 300 workers will be hired to pick walnuts during seasons of harvest. The concession is granted for 40 years, and in coming five or six year the complete production is to be achieved. According to the Kresto - Croatia director, Predrag Budisa, this firm will include family-run farms and other small farms in the project, worth 10 million dollars. The facilities for drying walnuts, which Kresto should set up, will be useful for other fruits and vegetables, for instance for drying plums which are picked earlier in a season, Budisa explained adding that Kresto is planning to produce sunflowers' seeds in Croatia in the future, while this production is currently based in Hungary. In addition, European markets where Kresto is active will thus become open for Croatia's products, Budisa said. The preparation of the soil in Baranja that has ideal climate conditions for this produce, should begin this autumn, and the first trees are to be planted in spring 2000, Djurkic said. (Hina) jn ms