Cultivation of plantation rosehip in ecological conditions is becoming increasingly popular in the world

I was born in Novi Kneževac in 1951, where I grew up. After graduating from the Agricultural Technical Secondary (High) School, I entered the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Novi Sad, which I successfully completed in 1976 and obtained the title of Graduate Engineer in Agronomy.

From 1976 to 1980, I worked as a professional associate at the Agricultural mill in Čoka. My job was plant production manager.

Between 1980 and 1985, I dealt with the organization of plant production as an expert advisor in the Agricultural Cooperative in Novi Kneževac. During that period, I was in the Netherlands, where I learned about the improvement of the technological process of onion and onion seeds production related to their extraction, storage and processing. When I returned, I applied the knowledge from this study to our fields and it improved the overall production of the mentioned plant culture in the region of northern Banat, and especially in the area of Novi Kneževac.

From 1985 to 2012, I worked as an entrepreneur, and I was mainly involved in the production of onion seeds and seeds of other plant cultures, here in Novi Kneževac, where I still work.

Novi Kneževac is an administrative unit in Serbia, a settlement (small town) in Vojvodina, located in the northeastern part of Banat. Our settlement borders Hungary to the north and Romania to the east. Our climate is defined as moderate, with an average annual rainfall of 450mm/1m2.

In the fall of 2012, I participated in an international forum on the future of organic agriculture that was held in Budapest. At this forum, among others, I met a representative of a rosehip processing factory, who left the strongest impression on me. He convinced me and insisted that I produce organic rose hips with the possibility of long-term placement on the European Union market, as well to promote and expand the cultivation of rosehips in ecological conditions. After the presentation of the technology of mechanized cultivation of vegetable and fruit crops, where the special emphasis was on the production of organic rosehips, I decided to plant a plantation of rosehips on my own property as part of organic production on an area of 10 hectares. By 2018, this area of rosehip plantations in our family farm has been increased to 50 hectares.

By 2023, I managed to expand the production of organic rosehips and organize its cultivation on an area of more than 1500 hectares in different countries: 620 hectares in the Balkan countries, 400 hectares in the EU countries and more than 500 hectares in the countries of Central Asia. In addition to ensuring the supply of planting material (rosehip seedlings) of the best varieties, I also provide supervision of planted areas and give expert advice as a service activity, thanks to the many years of my own practical work, expertise and experience.