Wholesale market, project of national significance - Belgrade to become regional center for trade in fruits and vegetables soon

In association with the Faculty of Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Trade, Belgrade-based public utility company "Gradske pijace" has finished the elaboration of the Feasibility study for wholesale market, suggested the models of management and forwarded the action plan to the Mayor of Belgrade for approval. That project will ensure development of agriculture in Serbia, contribution to the city budget, larger assortment of goods, lower prices and growth of export potentials - people from "Gradske pijace" announced.

- The project for construction of the wholesale market practically represents Belgrade's approaching European metropoles since there is almost no city with over 1m citizens in Europe that does not have an organized place for wholesale trade, primarily in fruits and vegetables, as well as meat, fish, flowers and milk - said MA Dragan Pušara, the CEO of "Gradske pijace".

- End-users suffer the most because of the fact that Belgrade does not have a wholesale market since they are buying expensive goods of lower quality, and that is why it is so important for us to start realization of this project as soon as possible - said Professor Dr. Stipe Lovreta, the Manager of the Wholesale Market Feasibility Study project.

Srđan Drobnjaković, the Head of the Department for Trade and Prices within the Ministry of Trade, pointed out that Serbia was significant manufacturer of fruits and vegetables in the region, but that production and export were much smaller than they should be.

- Construction of the wholesale market in Belgrade, a modern regional trade center, will enable efficient use of these potentials. We can say that the project is of national significant, which is also recognized in the Trade Development Strategy of Serbia - said Srđan Drobnjaković, the Head of the Department for Trade and Prices within the Ministry of Trade.

The wholesale market, the place where wholesale trade in market products will be concentrated, will be built at the surface of 18 ha in the vicinity of Belgrade-Zagreb highway and Inner Main Semi-ring. In that way, Belgrade will obtain the largest distribution center in the Balkans.