LOWER HOUSE DISCUSSES AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

ZAGREB, March 9 (Hina) - Thirty-five deputies took the floor today during the debate on the strategy of agricultural development, which is the first item on this session's agenda. Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Ivica Gazi, presented the ministry's development project, elaborated in cooperation with FAO. "The projet emphasises family farms which are to become the basis of Croatian agriculture," Gazi said. The project envisages a new ownership structure of farming land and the development of a new system for financing the agriculture. The project advocates the setting up of an Agricultural Development Fund, whose initial capital would be secured from the national budget, credits etc. Gazi said Croatia was open to new international trends in farming. "We need development studies for every county as a complement to this project," Gazi said. Milivoj Kujundzic (HDZ) called for legislation that would prevent the fragmentation of real property holdings, which would undermine the agriculture. Ivan Jakovic (Istrian Democratic Alliance) criticised the project for paying scant attention to fishing. He proposed that each region should be allotted funds to create and implement its own agricultural development project. Nedjeljko Tomic (Social Democratic Action) called for speeding up privatisation and denationalisation. Savka Dabcevic-Kucar praised the project for taking free market and family farms as a basis. Mate Arlovic (Social Democratic Party) said no, family farms were only one form of agriculture and other forms should also be encouraged. Josip Pankretic (Croatian Farmers' Party) spoke about tax, protective and social policies which should offer incentives to farmers and guarantee minimum wages to people who left their job in town and took up agriculture instead. (hina) mm as 091527 MET mar 95