The Krajina House project has lived up to expectations by bringing together more than 130 domestic agricultural producers and their more than 1,200 different products today, and such a facility is expected to open also in Vienna by the end of the year, said the director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Banja Luka, Draško Ilić.

‘That will be one of the biggest steps forward in the history of processing among the small households currently brought together by Krajina House, which represents not only farmers from the Banja Luka area, but the entire Krajina,’ said Ilić on the occasion of marking Krajina House’s fourth anniversary.

Ilić said that initially the project had only six agricultural producers with some products.

‘Today, Krajina House is visited almost daily by the new producers appearing and coming to this area. This was a unique opportunity to help small producers and open a facility where they can market their products,’ Ilić said.

He noted that demand was the highest for honey and brandy, and lately also for natural cosmetics made from forest products and medicinal plants mainly sought by young people.

Ilić stated that agricultural land was a great resource of the city of Banja Luka, but also of the Republic of Srpska.

Assistant Minister for Tourism and Hospitality of the Republic of Srpska, Predrag Tešić, said that Krajina House, along with Herzeg House, meant a lot for the entire Republic of Srpska.

Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Srpska, Goran Bursać, stated that this Ministry had been trying to support this project since the establishment of Krajina House.

He noted that at each fair organized by the line Ministry in cooperation with Srpska’s Chamber of Commerce, both Krajina and Herzeg House always held a free presentation of their products at their stands.

‘Krajina House may be a driver of survival and remaining in the countryside and production on farms in the Republic of Srpska,’ said Bursać.

Nikola Galić, the owner of Gorštak craft brewery and one of the producers displaying their products on Krajina House shelves, said that he had been selling his product in this House since the very beginning, and that it meant a lot to him because Krajina House was a representative facility.

‘There is plenty to see for international tourists – producers gathered in one place and representing natural cosmetics, food, drinks. It is an honor to be in the company of such hard-working people,’ said Galić.

The celebration was also attended by the Mayor of Banja Luka, Draško Stanivuković, who stated that Krajina House was one of the best ambassadors in the region, Europe, but also the whole world, and one of the projects that should be everyone’s source of pride.

He said that an attractive Krajina House building would be located near the farmers market, and that Banja Luka was continuing cooperation with the Agricultural and Rural Development Center.

Unique Krajina products are available to citizens and tourists in Krajina House at Braće Mažar i majke Marije Street 17. The facility is open every day, except Sunday, from 8:00 to 21:00.

Source and photo: SRNA