MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS

In Bosnia and Herzegovina medicinal and aromatic plants have the potential to contribute substantially to the national and local economy.  Even today, despite our intensive agricultural systems, the harvesting of wild plants is still one of major human activities in BiH and important economic factor in rural areas of BiH.
It is believed that Bosnia and Herzegovina has over 700 species of medicinal and aromatic plants of which around 200 are exploited (Gatarić, Đ., 1988). This list includes several endangered species that are amongst the most traded ones (Gentiana lutea, Arnica montana, Arctostaphyllos uva ursi and Orchis spp.).
According to data derived from the Final Report of EU (Analysis and Maping of Value Chain) MAP annual harvesting in BiH varies from 1.500 to 9.000 tons (depending on demand and climatic conditions), mostly dried plants packed and sold in 25 kg sacks as raw material. More value could be added even to dried raw material and in that case selling price of such product is much higher (e.g.dried leaf, separated flowers etc). Responding to sectoral deficiency, FARMA’s illustrative list of planned activities in this domain is provided below.

• Support and encourage  producer/partner organizations to start with cultivation of different MAPs, especially the endangered ones.
• Support producer/partner organizations to shift their production and to start producing more value added products
• Improve quality preservation of MAP products (education and implementation of GAPs in all value chain levels)
• Organise trainings and educative materials for SMEs and collectors – stress the relevance and importance of standards in MAP production
• Facilitate and support local certification body to become stronger and known on the international market
• Promote the domestication for selected plant species that have become endangered or vulnerable in the wild
• Organize study tours/trainings for producer organisations in order to modernise their production, prepare them to develop management plan, marketing, business plans, etc.
• Support promotion of authentic products (e.g. essential oils in small bottles from BiH)
• Support national legislation development in accordance with EU regulations
  Develop finance schemes for producer/partner organizations (and contracted farmers)
• Increase access to financing of exporting Producer/partner organizations
  Promotion and support of cultivation of plants especially threatened, vulnerable and endangered plant species
• Support conservation of traditional knowledge and practices

HONEY
Diversity of climate and vegetation, clean environment and tradition in beekeeping are good preconditions for the production of high quality honey in BiH. The main beekeeping products are honey, beeswax, royal jelly, pollen, and bee venom. Beekeeping accounts for 1% of the total agricultural production in BiH. Total honey production in BiH cannot cover the needs of the local market. An estimated annual BiH import of honey is between 500 and 1000 tons. BiH imports honey mostly from Slovenia and Croatia. Responding to sectoral deficiency, FARMA’s illustrative list of planned activities in this domain is provided below.

• Organize trainings for beekeepers on Good Beekeeping Practices, bee disease prevention, modern beekeeping, prepare education materials.
• Organize study tours to observe Good Beekeeping practices in EU.
• Train local experts to use the HPLC, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer and other equipment needed for Quality Control.
• Assist producer organizations to obtain HACCP, Organic and Fair Trade Certifications in order to be able to compete on the international honey market and to be able to get better prices.
• Assist in finding buyers and market for BiH honey once it is on the “Third Countries List”
• Train Producer/partner organizations in business planning, investment plans development, loan application preparation to improve their ability to access commercial banks financing
• Organize trainings for producers on marketing, packaging, labeling in order to reach EU standards.
• Organize visits to local and regional trade fairs.
• Assist interested organizations to develop regional brands for honey

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