Sustainable market for farmers fresh products in cross border area in Gjlan/Gnjilane and Kumanovo Municipality

Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane, as well as Municipality of Kumanovo are facing the obstacles with their markets where it affects its sellers and farmers. In one side Gjilan/Gnjilane’s green market is functional since 1960, since that time been some minor improvements as a result of lack of stalls some of the sellers use sidewalks where their fresh product is exposed to the sun, especially during the summer season. In other side, Municipality of Kumanovo, has similar issue with its green market, since the one has been established since 1989. Even though, there are engagements in ensuing better conditions in the markets for customers there has been identified some crucial interventions that will contribute in advancing markets in both sides with the purpose to give better conditions to the market traders in one side and reducing costs in maintain markets in other side. In order to achieve the proposed objectives there has been identified pre-project situation that is in line with the Cross-border call. The Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane has 239 closed stalls and 237 opened stalls where is lack of infrastructure and sector organizing inside the area. Municipality of Kumanovo has 589 stalls in markets, where there is situation in need to reduce the energy use and introduce of energy efficiency; reduce of waste and pollution, building local potential and adding economic value to the local level. Nowadays, advanced commercial shopping centres have created some difficulties in sales, since they have created more attractive places and as a result, most of the products are imported from the other countries. The reason behind this is because the producers from other countries have more experience in grading and are more organized with documentation and other tax and administrative procedures, as a result some farmers have facing obstacles in selling their products. Therefore, intervention in improving infrastructure, training farmers in grading and entrepreneurship together with branding fresh products of the cross-border region and promotion and organizing cross-border region fairs for fresh products will bring back trust of the local producers and the same will increase consumption of the fresh products for the local consumers that is in high demand. Overall objective: Maximizing sales and profit of farmers local fresh products in Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane and Municipality of Kumanovo through organizing advanced green market Specific objectives: - Advancing and improving fresh products market points for farmer’s local products - Branding local products through trainings and legalizing farmers businesses to ease sales Direct beneficiaries: - Local products consumers. - Fruit, vegetable and diary small businesses, - Department of agriculture

 Reconstructed 2 green markets in both municipalities  2 mobile green markets created to increase employment opportunities for young and marginalized groups  At least 40 new farmer’s businesses established  Created cross-border brand for fresh local products  Trained at least 100 participants in grading products  Trained at least 100 participants in entrepreneurship  Promoted and uniformed local market sellers  At least 20 B2B cross border contracts signed for fresh local products to intensify trade  Increased profit and sales of farmer