The directive should enter into force by 8 August this year and will be valid until 30 June 2016.
The ministry explains that the measures will be extended till mid next year to offset consequences of a decision by the Russian Federation to extend its ban on the import of certain agricultural and food products from the European Union for another year, that is until 5 August 2016.
Last year, Croatia used this assistance for 3,900 tonnes of a total of 4,050 tonnes of apples and 2,490 tonnes of a total of 7,900 tonnes of mandarins, and in the meantime the EC has decided to allocate assistance for an additional 1,100 tonnes of apples, while allocation for mandarins envisages 4,700 tonnes less.
Measures for crisis prevention and management include market withdrawal of fruit and vegetables (not putting them up for sale) apart from those for free distribution, green harvesting and non-harvesting.
The EC has determined these quantities based on the average export to Russia of the previous three years prior to the ban on imports and the level of support used for an individual product until 30 June 2015.
EU member states have utilised 155.3 million euro in finance assistance as part of the programme and Croatia utilised 2.8 million euro under this scheme.
The Croatian Ministry further notes that once the new EU regulation is published in the EU Official Journal, instructions for producers entitled to the said measures will be released.