Zitopromet

The joint stock company (AD) „Žitopromet” from Senta has become one of the 13 most successful companies, award winners of the plaque of the Economic Chamber of Vojvodina for achieving the most significant economic results in 2008. The president of AD „Žitopromet” Board of Directors Predrag Đurović stated in a press conference that they were proud for their business success to be acknowledged and that such good business results had been achieved in the previous years as well

Đurović pointed out that in the previous year the company AD „Žitopromet” had a profit of RSD 60 million achieved by successful business management and due to a production at a very high level. 44,000 tons of wheat had been milled and 5,400 tons of products had been produced in the pasta factory, figures equalling the production levels from twenty years before when the company had exported wheat to the USSR operating in planned economy environment, and the bakery had supplied consumers from Senta and the surrounding municipalities with over 2,200 tons of bread and baking goods.

“Žitopromet” from Senta is one of the most successful companies in the region of Potisje and Northern Banat, under the jurisdiction of The Regional Economic Chamber of Kikinda, and has successfully increased production and export each year. Besides the placing in the domestic market, the company also exports its products to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Hungary and Slovenia.

“Žitopromet” pasta factory has a tradition which is over half a century old, and the brand “Sentella” today includes 24 types of pasta. EUR 750,000 have been invested into a state-of-the art production line for producing spaghetti and pasta by the renowned Italian company “Pavan”, EUR 700,000 of which were granted as a loan from the Serbian Development Fund and which is being repaid regularly.

Regular salaries

According to Predrag Đurović, the company settles the liabilities towards its 210 employees and towards the state regularly and expects successful business activities in the following period despite the economic crisis

- Last year we drew profit from our exports in the amount of over four million euros, which helped us eliminate the harmful effect on the milling industry caused by the price of wheat, the change in the foreign currency and the loan repayment. We also carried out an investment into a new production line with the financial help and support of the Serbian Development Fund – stated Đurović.

- This investment, and with no change in the number of employees, will help us increase our pasta production by 25 percent and this will also improve quality. Soon, we will be equal in our quality with the renowned Italian manufacturers – Đurović pointed out.

The staff at AD “Žitopromet” is performing technical preparations and maintenance of the silos for intake and storage of bread cereals from the following harvest time.

Although the prospects for the upcoming harvest and crop season are not excellent, due to the long drought and the uncertainty in crop yield response, the people at “Žitopromet” expect to store around 50,000 tons of wheat, which is enough for all the facilities to operate at full capacity.

- The upcoming harvest will not be easy at all, but it is most certain that “Žitopromet” will keep up the pace regarding prices and the dynamics in settling the obligations towards the manufacturers. We settled the obligations from the last harvest on time, we posses supplies in sufficient quantity until the next harvest, we have a respectable credit rating at the banks and we are ready for the upcoming harvest period and we shall load our silos – says Đurović

Excerpt from: Dnevnik, 7th May 2009; article written by M. Mitrović