Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and Internal Trade and Telecommunications Rasim Ljајić stated today at the Belgrade Fair that growth in the production and exports of the Serbian furniture industry was recorded in the first half of this year.
Opening the 51st International Fair of Furniture, Equipment and Interior Decoration and the 51st International Exhibition of Machines, Tools and Reproduction Materials for the Woodworking Industry, the Minister pointed out that in the first half of this year, the growth in production was 11.6%, while the value of exports exceeded 100 million euros, with a growth of 6%.
He noted that it is rare for an industry other than the agricultural industry to record growth, which is why the domestic furniture industry deserves full support.
According to him, furniture retail sale in Serbia decreased by 20 to 40 percent because of the global economic crisis, the insolvency of the industry and due to unfavorable bank loans.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that due to the economic crisis, the furniture industry is going through a difficult period, and that consequently the number of employees in the industry decreased from 30,000 to 13,000 employees since the year 2000.
