Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 10/2/2003

**GAIN Report Number:** BK3011

BK3011

**Bosnia-Herzegovina**

**Market Development Reports**

**Dried Fruit and Nuts**

**2003**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)Sarah Hanson

#### U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Sanela Stanojcic

**Report Highlights:**

In 2002, total nut imports amounted to 4,018 tons (\$5.3 million). Total
dried fruit imports amounted to 969 tons (\$1.2 million). Of that,
Bosnia Herzegovina imported 68.4 tons of nuts and dried fruits from the
U.S. There are only a few companies that import, process, and pack nuts
and dried fruits, and most of this processing is done in bulk. Demand
for these products is generally good from September through March. U.S.
products are usually purchased through European brokers.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Vienna \[AU1\]

\[BK\]

**Consumption and production**

Pre-war per capita consumption of walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds in
Bosnia and Herzegovina[^1] was 0.5 kg. Per capita consumption of dried
fruits (prunes, dried figs and raisins) was 0.4 kg. Although official
date is unavailable, current nut consumption is estimated at 0.6 kg per
capita. Dried fruit consumption is estimated at 0.5 kg per capita. Total
consumption for Bosnia and Herzegovina's population of 3.8 million is
around 4,200 tons.

Local nut production is limited to mostly walnut production for farm
use. Production of dried fruits is not significant. Plums are produced
all over the country, but because of improper drying facilities, prune
production is not significant.

**Market Information and Companies Profile**

There are only a few companies that import, process, and pack nuts and
dried fruits. Most of this processing is done in bulk. The largest
processor is Eurocompany 99 in Capljina, Herzegovina. Eurocompany 99
imports around 1,000 tons of peanuts annually, mostly in shell from
China; 100 tons of almonds, mainly from the U.S.; raw pistachios from
Iran; hazelnuts and dried figs from Turkey; apricots from Italy; and
walnuts from Romania. U.S. walnuts are twice the price of Romanian
product. Consumers prefer longer, smaller, brighter almonds. There are
not many processed nut products, such as chocolate covered almonds, but
such products have some market potential.

Mladegs Prnjavor annually packs 20 tons of almonds, 30 tons of
hazelnuts, and 80 tons of raisins. Vispak Visoko packs around 500 tons
of shelled peanuts annually. Peanuts are mostly imported from China and
Argentina. In shell peanuts sell better because of their lower price.

U.S. products are usually purchased through European brokers. Demand for
dried fruit and nuts is generally good from September through March and
poor during the rest of the year. The market for dried fruits is small
in general and limited to large urban areas. Because of limited
disposable income, product price is very important to consumers.

A number of small and medium sized confectioneries such as "Klas"
Sarajevo, Mira Prijedor, Lasta Capljina, Zora Sarajevo use nuts and
dried fruits for production of cookies, peanuts for extruded flips
products, peanut butter, and other products. Sliced almonds for
confectionery use are not preferred, as industries prefer to do the
cutting and milling themselves. Confectioneries import both goods and by
products from wholesalers.

**Trade**

Officially reported imports of nuts and dried fruits in 2001 were 3,615
tons and exports amounted to 76 tons. In 2002, imports of dried nuts and
fruits increased significantly to 4,987 tons or 11.1 million KM (\$6.5
million). Total nut imports amounted to 4,018 tons, or 9.1 million KM.
(\$5.3 million). BiH imported 1,354 tons of walnuts, 1586.2 tons of
peanuts, 945.3 tons of pistachios, 192 tons of hazelnuts, and 127 tons
of almonds.

Total dried fruit imports amounted to 969.3 tons or 1.98 million KM
(\$1.2 million). BiH imported 447 tons of raisins, 178.6 tons of figs,
104 tons of dates, 64 tons of prunes, 60.5 tons of apricots and 6.4 tons
of dried fruit mixtures. Total exports were around 300 tons.

Around 70% of total dried fruits and nuts imported in 2002 came from
Romania (1,260 tons), Italy (639 tons), Iran (608 tons), Turkey (281
tons), Serbia and Montenegro (230 tons), Greece (209 tons), and Hungary
(198 tons).

BiH imported a total of 68.4 tons of nuts and dried fruits from the U.S.
in 2002. Out of that, 63.3 tons were almonds.

**Tariffs**

  ----------------------------- --------------------- --------------------
  **Product**                   **Type**              **Tariff (%)**

  Almonds                       in shell              0

                                shelled               5

  Hazelnuts                     in shell              0

                                shelled               5

  Walnuts                       in shell              0

                                shelled               5

  Pistachios                                          0

  Peanuts                       in shell and shelled  0

  Raisins                                             5

  Dried Apricots                                      10

  Prunes                                              10

  Dried Figs                                          5

  Dried fruits and nut mixtures                       10
  ----------------------------- --------------------- --------------------

**[Useful Information]{.underline}**

**Importers and Packers:**

###### Eurocompany \'99

## Mr. Dario Lubina and Mr. Ivica Datkovic, Owners

Tasovcici bb

88300 Capljina

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tel: +387 36 805 534

Fax: +387 36 805 533

E-mail: eurocomp@eurocompany99.com

<http://www.eurocompany99.com/>

2\. Mladegs Pak

Goran Vrhovac, Director

Beogradska 81

78430 Prnjavor

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tel: +387 51 863 215

Fax: +387 51 863 185

E-mail: mladegs@inecco.net

Prehrambena industrija \"Vispak\" Visoko\
Ozrakovići bb.

71300 Visoko,

###### Bosna i Hercegovina

## Telefon: ++387 32 738 334 

## Fax: ++387 32 738 143

vispak@bih.net.ba

<http://www.vispak.com.ba/>

**Confectioneries:**

## Klas Sarajevo

####### Husein Ahmovic, Director

Paromlinska 33-39

71000 Sarajevo

Tel: ++387 33 655 873

Fax: ++387 33 640 549

Mira Prijedor

Kralja Aleksandra 3

79104 Prijedor

Tel: +387 52 233 491 and 232 211

Fax: +387 52 232 888

Zvecevo-Lasta d.d. Capljina

## Biscuits and waffle factory

Kneza Domagoja bb

88300 Capljina

Tel: +387 36 800 036 and 801 598\
Fax: +387 36 800 943

Zora Sarajevo

Dzemala Bijedica b.b.

71000 Sarajevo

Tel/fax: +387 33 542 911

**FAS Specialist**

Office of Agricultural Affair (Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)

U.S. Embassy to BiH

71000 Sarajevo

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Tel.: +387 33 445 700, x 2099

Fax:+387 33 212 692

Contact: Sanela Stanojcic, Agricultural Specialist

http://www.usis.com.ba/

E-mail: StanojcicS@usem

[^1]: Under the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    (BiH) is divided into two Entities: the Federation of Bosnia and
    Herzegovina (F BiH) and Republika Srpska (RS). There is also the
    Brcko District with a special administrative status.