The leader of the Croatian Association of Sheep and Goat Breeders, Tomislav Vidas, said that statistics show a record low number of sheep and goats, with some breeders retiring due to their age and some giving up this business due to administrative burdens.
Efforts should be made to increase the number of sheep and goats, with the help of the agriculture ministry, he said adding that it is also necessary in order to increase quantities of lamb and goat meet and various sorts of cheese, which are also insufficient.
Zdravko Barać, head of the livestock husbandry department within the agriculture ministry, said that over the past two years the numbers of sheep and goat had fallen down, however, the last two months have seen a rebound.
He announced at the conference an aid scheme between 10-15 million euros for subsidies to livestock breeders in the next 24 months.
The conference was organised by the Croatian Association of Sheep and Goat Breeders and the Croatian Agriculture and Food Agency.
In 2023 Croatia saw year-on-year decreases in cattle and pig farming and in the production of milk and eggs, Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) data show.
Croatia's Paying Agency for Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development has allocated €5 million for boosting the production potential of dairy cattle raising and goat and sheep breeding, the Ministry of Agriculture stated on its website in late September.
The scheme was intended for primary producers in the farm sector.
Grants were designed for family-run small and medium-sized farms which keep cows, sheep and goats for milk production.
As many as 479 applications were granted under this scheme until late September.