Grain from Vojvodina will this year start being exported to third markets from the Port of Bar. This deal is the result of the meeting between chairpersons of the Chambers of Commerce of Montenegro and Serbia with representatives of Srbijacargo, Montecargo and Luka Bar, as well as exporters of grain, MK Group and Agro Glob from Novi Sad, held on the margins of the Montenegro-Vojvodina Business Forum at the Provincial Chamber of Commerce.
“I am very pleased to announce to the Montenegrin public that the price of transport has been agreed upon at today’s meeting, and that the first batches of grain from Vojvodina will start being exported through the Port of Bar this year”, said the President of the Montenegrin Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Vlastimir Golubovic.
The estimate is that in the next two years, 300,000 tons of grain could be exported via the Port of Bar.
Director of the Port of Bar, Mr. Zarija Franovic, thanked the government and the chambers of commerce of Montenegro and Vojvodina for their support and cooperation.
“This is a significant day for the economy of Montenegro, especially for the city and the Port of Bar, which is our pillar of economic development. This is the result of months of negotiations, and it will lead to the recruitment of unused capacities of the Port and the labor force”, Mr. Franović said.
President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Marko Chadez, expressed satisfaction that another business forum resulted in concrete benefits for the economies of the two countries.
“With the previous price, the railway/port corridor was not a profitable route.. Serbia’s need for another logistical platform for export and import is enormous. What we have achieved here today will hopefully help increase both exports and imports through the Port of Bar”, said Mr. Chadez.
In 2017, Serbia exported about 500,000 tons of wheat, 1,660,000 tons of corn and 500,000 tons of other grains and flour. Out of the stated quantities, through Belgrade-Bar railway and the Port of Bar, only 35,000 tons were transported. Half of the total trade, about 1.100.000 tons, is going through Romania (Danube via Konstanz) and the rest by road and rail transport, through Rijeka and Koper. The reason behind this longer route was only the high cost of port transportation, formed by Srbijacargo, Montecargo and the Port of Bar. The agreement on the lower price means export through the Port of Bar is now profitable to all parties.
