Zagreb - A delegation from the parliamentary Agriculture Committee on Tuesday visited facilities of Podravka Agri in Baranja, Croatia's largest agricultural company, to review its operations and development plans.
Podravka Group CEO Martina Dalić said investments in equipment, irrigation and production expansion were strengthening conditions for greater national food self-sufficiency.
Podravka Agri forms the third pillar of Podravka's business alongside food and pharmaceuticals. With 33,000 hectares of arable land and 37 farms, and subsidiaries Belje, Vupik and PIK Vinkovci, it represents a major share of Croatia's agricultural capacity.
The company produces about half of Croatia's fattened pigs and 12% of its milk, supported by an extensive network of partner farms.
Podravka Agri CEO Davor Doko said planned investments by 2030 aim to reverse negative production trends, focusing on irrigation, modernisation, robotics and digital technologies, expansion of feed production and construction of four new pig farms.
Committee chair Marijana Petir said boosting agricultural self-sufficiency and food security requires stronger infrastructure investment, potentially financed from 1.5% of NATO dual-use funds.
She added that the committee had proposed tightening the law on unfair trading practices to include banning the sale of agricultural products below production cost, in order to curb unfair competition.