The Ministry of Agriculture invites producers who produce fruit and vegetables and milk and dairy products, as well as primary and secondary schools in the Republic of Croatia – to apply for participation in the School Scheme by June 30, 2017.
The school scheme includes free meals of fruit, vegetables and dairy products for school children, for which HRK 23 million has been provided for the 2017/2018 school year.
Unlike the previous School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme and the School Milk Program, the new School Scheme brings changes in terms of operational implementation. The reason for this change is decentralization, which gives schools the opportunity to choose local agricultural producers who are located in the immediate vicinity of schools, and who will deliver fresh fruits, vegetables and dairy products to schoolchildren.
Schools that wish to participate in the School Scheme submit a Request for the approval of applicants for the distribution of fruit and vegetables and/or milk and dairy products to the Agency for Payments, and after the requests have been collected, the Agency publishes on its website:
- a list of schools that can participate in the School Scheme with the number of students per school and the estimated amount of support per school according to the number of students who can participate in the School Scheme,
- a list of suppliers who can supply fruit and vegetables and/or milk and milk products to schools participating in the School Scheme.
Schools then select suppliers, prioritizing short supply chains and sourcing products from local manufacturers with whom they contract.
Suppliers will deliver fruits and vegetables (100-150 g per child per week) and milk, yogurt, cream, etc. (0.15-0.25 l per child per week). Fruits and vegetables will be delivered and distributed at least once a week, and milk and milk products once a week for at least 12 weeks on school days in accordance with the school calendar throughout the school year.
All information about the School Scheme, forms and contacts of employees of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Payment Agency who work on the School Scheme can be found on the pages of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Agency for Payments in Agriculture.
“With the new School Scheme, we give priority to local farmers, because we want our children to eat fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and dairy products. In this way, we save jobs in agriculture and develop the Croatian countryside” – said Minister Tolušić and added:
“I have to praise cities such as Pula, Karlovac, Križevac, Zabok, Krapina, Gospić, Senj and Vinkovci that recognized our goal and whose primary and secondary schools joined the School Scheme, and I hope that in the remaining week they will do the same do the same for other cities”.
Source: Agrobiz, Photo: jarmoluk/Pixabay