BRANDED PRODUCTS FROM THE HEART OF PODGRMEČ

Two agricultural cooperatives from the municipality of Novi Grad in Bosnia and Herzegovina are gaining recognition for their high-quality, locally sourced, and now officially branded products.

PHOTO: SRNA

The agricultural cooperative Agronova, based in Novi Grad, has launched its branded line of cooperative goods under the name "ReneSana." According to Director Darko Vujanović, the cooperative focuses primarily on vegetable production, with their brand now including pickled products such as radish, cucumber, cabbage, beetroot, and peppers.

“We also offer jam and cold-pressed juice,” Vujanović told Srna, emphasizing that both cooperative-grown and partner-supplied fruits and vegetables are used in processing.

The name "ReneSana" symbolizes the renewal of cooperative agricultural production in the Potkozarje and Podgrmeč regions. Agronova was founded in 2018, initiated open-field cooperative vegetable production in 2019, and expanded into greenhouse cultivation in 2022. Today, the cooperative works with around 60 partner farmers who grow vegetables across approximately 150 dunums of open fields and in 50 greenhouses, producing crops such as green onions and potatoes.

Meanwhile, the agricultural cooperative Agrojapra from Donji Agići, also near Novi Grad, made headlines in 2019 by branding 15 traditional agricultural products under the label "Izvor – Traditional Agriculture of Podgrmeč."

According to Agrojapra’s Director Nada Nešković Railić, their product line includes cold-pressed oils (pumpkin and sunflower), dried plums (with and without pits), apple chips, and whole grain flours made from wheat, rye, buckwheat, corn, and pumpkin, as well as three varieties of pumpkin seeds.

“All raw materials are domestically grown, mainly in the Podgrmeč area, which ensures their high quality,” she added.

With branding strategies that emphasize tradition, sustainability, and regional identity, these cooperatives are not only revitalizing rural economies but also preserving the rich agricultural heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s northwestern regions.