OPENING ADDRESS

I am very pleased that as a member of the Executive Committee of the ISHS and on behalf of the ISHS I have the opportunity to say some words of welcome. We regard it a great honour for the ISHS that such a great number of prominent guests of honour is attending this meeting, headed by Minister Prof.Dr.Bogoev.

I take the opportunity to thank you, Minister Bogoev, but - in particular - also Professor Dr.Aladzajkov, Mrs. Chirkova and all those of their staff-members taking part in preparing the symposium and assisting us here.

We are pleased that the ISHS together with you could invite us to this symposium and that you chose such a lovely recreation center as the place of this meeting. It will be difficult to really attend the meeting and not take walks along the lake.

Our thanks also go to both the chairman of the working group "Timing Field Production of Vegetable Crops", Dr. van Kampen, and the secretary, Dr. Wiebosch who established this active working group. Many of us already attended the first symposium organized by this working group at Alkmaar in 1969. We like to remember that exemplary meeting. Already at that time the request was expressed to hold a symposium in Yugoslavia.

The activity of this working group is also appreciated by the president and the secretary general of the ISHS as well as her Section for Vegetables, the kindest regards of whom I have to give. Our special esteem and respect goes to the organizers of such symposia who are ready to bear the burden of preparing such meetings for the benefit of our science and for maintaining international collaboration. Experience shows that these efforts are worthwhile, as nowhere exchange of scientific findings, an unconventional discussion between colleagues and personal contacts between specialists could be better than at such symposia. We all have the opportunity to broaden our sphere of ideas and to get to know the regional work of our colleagues of different countries and their homes.

Moreover, at this symposium today we also find many good friends coming from all over the world, whom we are very pleased to see again.

I should like to express the wish that this meeting develops successfully.


INAUGURAL ADDRESSES

Dr. Ksente Bogoev, Prime Minister of SR Macedonia

Mr. Chairman, dear participants of the Symposium, dear guests,

I am very pleased and honoured to have the privelege to greet so many distinguished scientist who, at this Symposium, will treat a subject which is of a valuable importance not only from the narrow, professional point of view, but also, more widely, from the ecomical point of view. In my opinion, the choice of Macednia for a place where the Symposium is to take place is completely adequate if we take into consideration that this region, by its method and structure of production, takes a specific place in the total agricultural structure of Yugoslavia, bearing in mind the ecologic and climatic conditions. Macedonia has been for a long time concentrated on very intensive developement efforts, and in the developement of this region the industrialization has taken a predominant course. However, in our conception of development, we have dedicated ourselves to the simultaneous development in the agricultural field. We have paid special attention to the economical investments in Macedonia, 16–19% have been allotted to the agricultural economy. We have recently signed a contract with the International Bank for a very important Project for agricultural investments in this region. It is the first credit of the International Bank which has been concluded for agricultural investments in Yugoslavia. For the development of the agricultural production, for the modernization and transformation of the agricultural structure here, special attention has been paid to the experts. It is the policy of the Republic to pay a very special attention to the education of professional personnel, to the high education of the experts.

In Macedonia we have the oldest Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry. The Republic has 8 scientific and research institutes, adapted for the specific needs of this region, in close contact with the economic institutions and applying the results obtained from the research.

I would like to mention another subject of our policy for the development of the agricultural production. It is actually the agricultural producer who is considered as especially interested in innovations, flexibility without conservative attitude regarding acceptance and adoption of new orientations and most perfect methods of production.

For the production of vegetables Macedonia has exclusive conditions, relatively speaking, in comparison with the agricultural region of Yugoslavia as a whole. These exclusive conditions are the very long and favourable vegetation period of vegetables, the long insolation and the general climatic and ecological conditions. Thanks to such conditions, Macedonia is an exclusive supplier of up to or over 70% of vegetables for the needs of Yugoslavia. Macedonia satisfies the needs for early vegetables. About 10% of the arable ground are under vegetable culture. If we take into consideration the rate of development of the vegetable production, we will note a jumping increase. A special factor for development is the amekioration which covers about 20% of the total arable ground of Macedonia, and which promts the reorientation in the agricultural structure, where the vergetable production becomes of primary importance.

In my opinion, the subject to be treated at your Symposium, will be followed with the utmost interest, not only by the experts, but also by our economic authorities and the official policy. I believe that the information to be exchanged in the field of scientific development will be of valuable interest not only for initiatives, but also for application in practice.

In my capacity as patron of the Symposium, and in a way a host, I would like to assure you that our satisfaction will be complete if the beautiful Ohrid and the cordial hospitality of Macedonia enable your to execute your work in a pleasant atmosphere.

I wish you much success in the work.


Eng. Trajko Apostolski, Vice President of the Chamber of Economy of Macedonia

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades,

I have the pleasure to bid welcome, in the name of the organizers of this Symposium, i.e. in the name of the Chamber of Economy of the SR Macedonia, the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Incorporated Agricultural Institute, to all the representative of the International Symposium for Timing of the outdoor vegetable production.

The vegetable production becomes of more and more valuable commercial importance in the world production. It is very important branch of production in our country. The SR Macedonia is therefore, especially honoured to be one of the organizers and host of the Symposium, having chosen Ohrid as the place at which the scientific workers of a number of countries will expose their most recent scientific findings and views regarding the up to date and future developement of the horticultural science and production.

The vegetable production, as the figures of the world statistics show, makes a diagram of a constant progress. However, it is generally agreed that such a progress in the production of various kinds of vegetables will for many years in future be insufficient to satisfy the growing demands of the consumers, especially as the substance of human alimentations changes day by day, and there is a general progress of the standard of living, of the industrializaion, and, besides, a rapid increase of the city population in the world.

Valuable scientific contributions in the course of the 3 days work of the Symposium will be of great importance for the timing of the outdoor vegetable production, to prompt and make possible continous supply of the industry and consumers with an adequate assortment of products.

During the past few years the vegetable production in Macedonia shows a particular inclination towards extension, especially in the agricultural enterprises.

The vegetable production is located on plantations occupying several hundreds of hectares on which modern technology and complete mechanization of production is applied, thus ensuring a high yield and profit.

The vegetable production becomes more and more interesting for the SR Macedonia, especially as with the construction of the hydromelioration systems there are better conditions for development and extension of the vegetable production. In 1972 the total yield of vegetable products amounted to approximately 510 000 tons, and already in 1973 over 600 000 tons are anticipated. Increase of these cultures is also expected in the coming period, especially in the agricultural enterprises where complete mechanization of the production is to be expected.

This Symposium, in which a number of well known experts will take part, will contribute to the progress and modernazation of the vegetable production in the world in our country. Moreover, it will prompt and make possible the mutual contacts between the scientific workers, and the exchange of experience and scientific documentation.

The fact that this Symposium takes place in Macedonia, where the vegetable production is one of the most important branches of the agriculture, of which you have the possibility to see a part, is of a very special and precious importance. Your opinions and suggestions will be very useful for our work in future.

I wish you a fruitful and successful work and very pleasant stay in our country.


Eng. Nikola Petrovski, Under Secretary in the Republic Secretariat for Agriculture and Forestry of SR Macedonia

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is great pleasure to me that in the name of the Republic Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry of Macedonia, Doctor Janko Lazarevski, who personally cannot welcome you being on a business trip abroad, and in the name of the whole staff of the Secretariat and me I can welcome you most heartfully and wish you a lot of sucess in the work.

I believe that I can express opinion of all Macedonia agricultural and horticultural experts that we are very happy to be privileged by being you hosts on such an eminent and international meeting of scientific and expert people, from the domain of the horticultural activity. We are quite aware of the immense role of the horticultural products in the nourishing structure of the population. Today it is very clear that the future of the horticultural component in the food of the people will have a dominant role, which on the other hand opens wide perspectives for its development. There is no doubt that this Symposium will contribute in finding out more optimum solutions and your role will be to bring those which are more direct.

In SR Macedonia we are for many years making great efforts to bring the horticultural production on an up-to-date level. We have very convenient soil and agro-climate conditions in this region, as well as an increase in the comsumption of the horticultural products in our country and abroad; therefore we are planning to develop it to the utmost.

This large potential of comparative priorities was until now not much used, though in the last few years the results which were achieved were positive. There were many reasons for the development of the horticultural products, but one of the main reasons was the lack of the irrigation system and as a results of the dry climatic conditions we could not expect great yields.

Our working people together with the help of the Yugoslav community have constructed some large irrigation systems. Before the Second World War there were a few primitive canals for irrigation on only 19 000 ha irrigated land, while today we can irrigate about 100 000 ha and when the whole irrigation net will be completed about 130 000 ha will be under water which will represent 20% of the cultivated land.

In this way perspective plans for the development of the horticultural products can be realized and there is no doubt that the Macedonian producers will use this chance.

I am sure that for these data you will have the possibility to hear more from the explanation of our representatives on this Symposium and at the same time, on the excursion which is planned, you will see on the proper spot what is the role of the horticultural production in Macedonia now and in future.

The main attention of the Macedonian horticultural producers is on the choice of the proper production, in order to give priorities to those products which are most promising and to include different sorts of technical and technological innovations with the aim to increase the labour productivity and to achieve lower costs for the production. In this sense efforts are made in the provision of continuous production of fresh vegetables, especially in the greenhouses and production under plastic folios, expansion of the industrial production, complete mechanization of the plantation production of vegetables, especially tomatoes, where the first results are very encouraging.

This production should represent a basis for the development of the planned processing industry.

I hope that some other time when Macedonia will be a host to you again, you will get the opportunity to see the realization of the present vision of the Macedonian horticulturists.

At the end I would like to welcom you once again and to wish you success in the work and a pleasant stay in Macedonia.


Ing. Nikola Adamov, President of the Council of Federal Chamber of Economy, Belgrade

Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have the honour and the pleasure to welcom you in the name of the Federal Chamber of Economy and to wish you success in the work of this Symposium.

The Federal Chamber of Economy, as an association of the producing organization, has a great interest in the promotion of the production. This is the reason why this Chamber pays a lot of attention to this kind of scientific sympsia and other kinds of meetings.

We will follow the work of this Symposium with special attention. Without any doubt it will summarize the latest scientific achievements in the promotion of the vegetable production in the open field, and thus will contribute to the improvement of the production.

In the whole world and in our country the vegetable production becomes a more important part of the nourishment of the people, and by the increase of the living standard thsi role of the vegetable production will certainly become even more important. This presumption is confirmed by the latest trends on the domestic and foreign markets as well, which can be clearly seen from the increased demand of vegetables.

On the other hand, in Yugoslavia and in Macedonioa in general there are special large potentials for the increase of this kind of production. We have a lot of sunshine, areable land and with the completion of the irrigation systems we shall have enough water for irrigation, being the basic condition for the vegetable production. Thus, the existing structure of the agriculture production will be basically changed.

That is the main reason why the producers of vegetables and the skilled experts on this field are following the work of this Symposium with open interest, hoping that the discussions and solutions will contribute to enrich the experience and the knowledge of this kind of production.

In that sense once again I wish you fruitful success and a pleasant stay in our beautiful country.