ZAGREB, 1 April (2022) - The 23rd International Bjelovar Spring Fair opened in Gudovac on Friday, with more than 400 exhibitors from a dozen countries showcasing their agricultural products and services.

The Spring Fair, which is open until Sunday, also includes the 17th Beekeeping Fair, the Horticulture Equipment Fair and the Construction and Utility Equipment Fair. Gudovac is located near Bjelovar, about 80 kilometres northeast of Zagreb.

The show was opened by Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, who noted that in the past few years Croatia had been exposed to challenges it could have no influence on, such as natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the war in Ukraine. He recalled that the government had invested a huge amount of money in a job retention scheme and adopted a HRK 4.8 billion package of measures to preserve living standards and expand the scope of welfare measures.

Bjelovar Fair director Zlatko Salaj expressed satisfaction with the number of exhibitors although it was about 30 per cent lower than in the record 2019.

Bjelovar-Bilogora County Prefect Marko Marušić spoke of the long tradition of agriculture in the region and the measures being undertaken by the regional government to help farmers, while Bjelovar Mayor Dario Hrebak emphasised the importance of the use of geothermal energy, which is abundant locally, in agriculture.

Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković said that Croatia was the fourth biggest user of EU rural development funds. She said that the autumn sowing had gone well despite all the challenges and that six per cent more land had been sown than the previous year. She also mentioned an emergency measure of HRK 868 million to remedy the damage caused by the coronavirus crisis.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

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ZAGREB, 29 March 2022 - The 23rd International Bjelovar Spring Fair will take place on 1-3 April, after a two-year break due to COVID, featuring more than 400 exhibitors from a dozen countries, organisers said on Tuesday.

The agriculture, cattle-breeding, and trades and crafts event will take place in Gudovac near Bjelovar, about 80 kilometres northeast of Zagreb, and neither COVID certificates nor testing will be required to enter, the fair's director, Zlatko Salaj, told the press in Bjelovar.

Bjelovar-Bilogora County head Marko Marušić said almost 70% of the exhibitors which attended in the record year 2019 would attend this year, adding that "the results would be even better had the Ukraine situation not disrupted the market."

For the first time, the Agriculture Ministry will have its stand at the fair.

The Beekeeping Fair, which was to have taken place in February but was postponed due to COVID, will take place at the same venue at the same time.