NORWEGIAN COMPANY TO FINANCE RECONSTRUCTION OF CROATIAN FARMS

ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - Four farm cooperatives from the Croatian Danube River region - Borovo, Lovas, Nijemci, and Bogdanovci recently signed a US550,000-worth contract with the Norwegian company Jaeren Produktutviklung regarding the provision of loans for the partial reconstruction of farms within the four cooperatives. Jaeren Produktutviklung is conducting, on behalf of the Norwegian Government, a programme of reconstruction and development of family farms in Croatia's region of eastern Slavonia and in Bosnia- Herzegovina. The money from the contract will be used for financing the reconstruction of farms, primarily through the purchase of livestock and equipment. Fifty per cent of the loan will not be paid back, while the other 50 per cent will be returned without interest. The reconstruction programme currently includes 108 farms, that is, 27 cooperative members gathered in four Danubian farm cooperatives. In the first phase of the programme, the farms will be given between 200 and 220 heifers, 200 to 300 gilts, as well as equipment for their breeding. The programme should be implemented within the next month or two. The Norwegian side wishes also to provide Croatian farmers with advisory services, which will be in line with the principles and achievements of the European Union. (hina) rml