Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Mr. Faton Peci,
Honorable Minister of Regional Development, Mr. Fikrim Damka,
Honorable Mayor of Mamusha Municipality, Mr. Abdülhadi Krasniç,
Your Excellency, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to Kosovo, Mr. Sabri Tunç Angılı,
Esteemed Members of the Assembly of Kosovo,
Honored guests from Turkey,
Honorable Mayor of Yozgat Municipality, Mr. Kazım Arslan,
Dear farmers, tomato growers and processors,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Brothers and sisters,
It is always a pleasure to be among you at the opening of the International Tomato Festival, now in its 16th edition. Just as the holding of this festival has become a tradition, so has my participation here.
It has become customary in Mamusha to celebrate this festival together, as well as to continuously empower and strengthen Kosovo’s farmers and their farms. And of course, the support of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo is also present here, among you, the hardworking farmers of Mamusha.
This festival is a testament to the spirit of the diligent citizens of Mamusha—a municipality relatively small in size, but a shining example of prosperity for Kosovo’s agriculture.
It is our obligation and commitment as a government to celebrate the days of our produce, but also to commemorate across Kosovo the sacrifices of our people. We do this by developing our country and advancing our people!
Therefore, as Prime Minister and Government, we will always stand with our producers, farmers, and entrepreneurs—because these are our products from our land!
Dear attendees,
We are proving year after year that agriculture and Kosovo’s farmers are a top priority in our work, with over €400 million in financial support, in addition to other facilitations. But most importantly, we are restoring trust in our institutions—trust in our ministries, in our government, and in our shared state.
Through the grant scheme alone, Mamusha’s farmers have benefited €7.5 million. This support has improved the image of Kosovo’s agriculture and increased motivation among farmers. And this support will continue to grow because there is a growing demand for Kosovo’s products to be plentiful, of high quality, and competitive.
The figures speak for themselves: tomato exports in 2021 were less than €73,000, and by 2024 they exceeded €11 million. This is a result of the quality of our produce, the hard work and dedication of our farmers and experts, and the continuous support from our institutions and international partners such as USAID, TIKA, GIZ, ADA, CARITAS, and others.
The increase in support, production, and exports means an increase in the economy and the well-being of the farmer, their families, and others involved in the value chain. In the four years of our governance from 2021 to 2024, vegetable exports increased by over 70%, from €24 million in 2017–2020 to €41 million in the recent years.
Dear citizens,
Distinguished guests,
For many, Mamusha has become synonymous with high-quality tomato production. This reputation for quality agri-food products should belong to all of Kosovo, both in the region and globally, taking hardworking Mamusha as an example.
And this will be achieved together through subsidy schemes, grants, investments in irrigation systems, modern greenhouses, increased capacities for storage, processing, and branding of agri-food products.
We have supported and assisted Mamusha. But we will do even more—because Mamusha continues to work more, produce more, and export more.
Let us celebrate today not only the tomato as a symbol of our labor and shared joy, but also the spirit of cooperation and respect that moves us forward as a country. Congratulations on organizing this festival, congratulations to every farmer and family who lives from the land, and congratulations to Mamusha, the pride of our agriculture.
We are with you, with the farmers and for the farmers, today and every day of the year.
Thank you, and happy Tomato Festival!
