Blog - BIMAL

31Aug2026

Demo Day Held on Trial Fields in Brčko

Organised by Donau Soja, the Institute for Agricultural Development and Improvement (IRUP), and BIMAL Brčko, a Demo Day entitled “Improvement of Soybean Production” was held at two locations in the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the trial fields of the Agro Kolić and Kompot Voće agricultural holdings.

On the trial fields, using various agronomic measures, several dozen soybean varieties were planted with the aim of informing farmers about which soybean varieties have performed best for cultivation in Posavina under specific conditions. A large number of farmers responded to the invitation to participate in the Demo Day and showed interest in growing this oilseed crop and in its importance for crop rotation.

Since its acquisition in 2002, BIMAL has been committed to NON-GMO production, and thanks to the NON-GMO Guidelines and the Donau Soja Standard, our products bear the “NON GMO Produced” label, which means that they are produced from raw materials guaranteed to be free from genetic modification and that the certification process covers the entire production process. The final products bearing this label are BIMAL Omega and BIMAL Fino, as blends of vegetable oils.

The BIMAL Group Institute for Agricultural Development and Improvement, with the support of the Donau Soja organisation, continuously works with producers in Bosnia and Herzegovina to improve grain quality and increase yields, thereby also increasing the domestic raw material base for the only edible oil factory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIMAL Brčko. The Demo Day was an opportunity to present soybean varieties, cultivation and crop care methods, hear advice on increasing yields, and once again highlight the importance of producing NON-GMO raw materials and food.

22May2026

Representatives of BIMAL Group as Lecturers at ESG Reporting Training

The Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a certified training partner of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), organized a GRI-certified training course titled “ESG Sustainability Reporting in Accordance with GRI Standards” on May 20 and 21, 2026, in Sarajevo.

The training was intended for representatives of companies, banks, public institutions, and other organizations, including sustainability professionals, managers, corporate social responsibility teams, as well as everyone involved or interested in reporting on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.

In addition to certified lecturers and trainers from the Foreign Trade Chamber, guest speakers also included representatives of our business group, Miodrag Vujičić, ESG Team Lead, and Jelena Lugonja, PR Manager of the Group and member of the ESG Team of BIMAL Group.

“My colleagues from the team attended this program as participants last year, and now, just one year later, we are lecturers at this educational session, which is especially important for participants coming from the manufacturing sector, since our business group is one of the few manufacturing companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina that has implemented ESG reporting into its business operations. We gladly accepted the invitation from the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina to share our experience and knowledge with the participants, because we are aware of the necessity of introducing ESG reporting into business processes and we are happy to support everyone who understands the importance of sustainable business operations,” said Jelena Lugonja, PR Manager of BIMAL Group.

Representatives of our business group shared practical experiences from independently creating the first ESG sustainability report of BIMAL Group in accordance with GRI guidelines, from forming the team, defining material topics, collecting and sorting data, to publishing the final printed and online report on the business group’s website.

“We are very pleased that representatives of BIMAL Group shared their experience in preparing an ESG report with us, especially because they come from the manufacturing sector, where we still do not see major progress when it comes to ESG reporting. Our goal was for participants to gain as much practical experience and information as possible to help them prepare their own ESG report. During the training, representatives of BIMAL Group went through the process of preparing and creating the report, and then we reviewed the report together, page by page, which gave the participants truly detailed insight into the report concept,” said Senad Hromić, GRI Certified Sustainability Trainer/trainer at the Foreign Trade Chamber of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the lecture, it was emphasized that the implementation of ESG reporting in a company’s operations requires management support, a dedicated team, and continuous improvement of business processes and knowledge.

31Mar2026

One month until the end of student internship

Five students from the Agricultural and Medical School, majoring in Food Technology – Maida Tursunović, Lejla Čabrić, Anđela Đurić, Jasmina Hadžić and Anes Čizmo – have been attending practical training every Thursday at the facilities of BIMAL since January 22, 2026.

“This group of five fourth-year students from the Agricultural and Medical School, majoring in Food Technology, has been completing their internship at BIMAL for two months. Through the Silos, Pressing and Extraction, Refinery and Filling departments, as well as the Laboratory, they are learning about the production process and product quality testing. During this time, they have demonstrated a high level of responsibility, strong interest in business processes, work, and acquiring practical knowledge, while my colleagues in our facilities selflessly share their knowledge and involve them in business processes wherever it is safe,” said Šuhreta Tatarević, Recruitment & People Development Manager.

One of the students, Maida Tursunović, emphasized that during the internship it became clear that the knowledge she and her classmates gained over four years of schooling is applicable, and that all the additional skills passed on by their teachers were very useful.

“I think we are now a good example that all the theory could be applied through practice, and that we had the opportunity to see and learn even more. I hope this internship will continue for future generations and that all young people will transfer the knowledge gained in school into factories,” said Maida.

“Internships for high school students are highly beneficial, both for students, who gain practical knowledge and become better prepared for the labor market or further education, and for our business group, which through this form of social responsibility contributes to the development of future qualified professionals. In the Brčko District of BiH, the Law on Dual Education has not yet been adopted, but there is an ongoing initiative for its implementation, which we support and are ready to assist with, just as we currently contribute to student education through our internship program,” said Jelena Lugonja, PR Manager of the Group.

This group of students will remain in the internship until the end of April, when they will gradually complete their secondary education.

21st Oilseed Day in Brčko

Climatic Conditions and Agrotechnical Measures in Sustainable Oilseed Production

Organized by the company BIMAL dd Brčko and the Institute for the Development and Advancement of Agriculture IRUP Brčko, the traditional 21st Oilseed Day was held today in Brčko. It is a unique agricultural event in Bosnia and Herzegovina, traditionally bringing together farmers from across Bosnia and Herzegovina, experts from our country and neighboring countries, as well as representatives of relevant ministries, institutes, educational institutions, and related sectors.

At the beginning of the event, the attendees in the amphitheater of the European University in Brčko were addressed by Anto Domić, Deputy Mayor of the Brčko District of BiH, Damir Bulčević, President of the Assembly of the Brčko District of BiH, and Siniša Milić, Mayor of the Brčko District of BiH, who also officially opened the event. All speakers sent a unified message that such gatherings are necessary and that domestic food production is crucial for preserving the community.

The central event of Oilseed Day was an expert panel featuring Amir Softić, Head of the Department for Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Brčko District of BiH; Saša Lalić, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Srpska / Department of Agriculture, Food Industry and Rural Development; Mario Beus, Head of the Plant Production Section of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry; Mato Brkić, Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry of Posavina Canton; Jurica Jović from the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences in Osijek; Saša Petković from the company Agrimatco; and Branko Jevremov, representing the Donau Soja Organization.

Participants discussed numerous topics important for the production of oilseeds, as well as other plant crops, especially in light of climate change. Farmers received valuable advice on which agrotechnical measures should be applied to preserve seeds, ensure their proper development, and achieve quality yields.

The most important conclusions and messages of the event were that it is necessary to introduce regular soil analysis in practice, maintain crop rotation practices, view subsidies as an investment rather than assistance in regular operations, continue strict control and penalties for the sowing of GMO soy and prohibited varieties, work on amendments to regulations on incentives and the differentiation of projects into basic and development projects, insure crops with insurance companies, and strengthen the entire supply chain.

The role of BIMAL and IRUP in promoting oilseed production was also praised, with the emphasis that this should be a shared path for farmers, professionals, and the scientific community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region.

At the end of Oilseed Day, the Director of the Institute for the Development and Advancement of Agriculture, Azelea Suljkanović, announced the lowest guaranteed purchase prices for soybeans and high-oleic sunflower for the year 2026, and presented certificates of appreciation to distinguished associates and partners, production organizers, producers, and women in agriculture.

23Jan2026

Start of Practical Training for a New Generation of Food Processing Technicians

Today, practical training began at the company BIMAL in Brčko for five fourth-grade students of the Public Institution Agricultural and Medical School, majoring in food processing technician.

Maida Tursunović, Lejla Čabrić, Anđela Đurić, Jasmina Hadžić, and Anes Čizmo will, during the second semester, within the framework of the curriculum, in the field of fats and oils technology, practically learn how oil is produced at the only oil factory in Bosnia and Herzegovina, BIMAL in Brčko. Through the company’s facilities – Silo, Pressing and Extraction Plant, Refinery and Bottling Plant, as well as the Laboratory – they will learn the flow of the production process and product quality testing.

The beginning of the practical training at the company BIMAL was also attended by Senad Osmanović, Head of the Department of Education, and Srđan Kisić, Head of the Subdepartment for Secondary Education, as well as Vedrana Dragičević, Deputy Director of the Agricultural and Medical School, and Slađana Arsenić Đurić, Coordinator of Practical Training.

Addressing those present, Head Osmanović said that the Department of Education has initiated the procedure for the adoption of the Law on Dual Education in the Brčko District of BiH, with the aim of aligning the necessary process of practical training and the needs of the labor market for personnel in the coming period.

“This is an example of good practice implemented by the Department of Education in cooperation with companies in the District. One of such companies is BIMAL, where our students have the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical, real-life conditions,” said Senad Osmanović, Head of the Department of Education of the Government of the Brčko District of BiH.

Jelena Lugonja, Group PR Manager, emphasized that this is the third consecutive year in which companies that are members of the STUDEN Holding, in cooperation with secondary schools and the Department of Education in Brčko, are implementing practical training for final-year students.

“Already in the first year, we had one employment, that is, a student who was on practical training received a job offer and remained employed. Our business group will gladly take part in the formation of a modern dual education system in the Brčko District of BiH, which follows the needs of the labor market and enables individual development of young people. We believe that curricula in secondary schools should be aligned with the needs of the economy, that is, that theory and practice should be in harmony, as well as that a system should be developed that recognizes and encourages the best students for further advancement,” said Jelena Lugonja on behalf of the company BIMAL.

Slađana Arsenić Đurić, a teacher of the technological group of subjects and coordinator of practical training, expressed great gratitude to everyone who worked on the preparation of the practical training plan, which follows the curriculum.

“Our school operates under the EU VET program, that is, we devote great attention and focus to practical training, because our goal is active learning and the acquisition of functional knowledge for our students, who have already completed the necessary theoretical knowledge in oil and fat technology and quality control, and now have the opportunity to complement their theoretical prior knowledge with practical experience and prepare for their future jobs,” Arsenić Đurić emphasized.

Student Maida Tursunović also expressed great gratitude for this opportunity, emphasizing that she expects high-quality practical training.

“I am looking forward to carrying out the practical training. I believe it will contribute to my existing knowledge and skills, that I will go to university prepared and with good prior knowledge, so I am grateful for this opportunity, because food technology is a good and broad field in which development never stops,” says Maida.

On the very first day, the students received work uniforms and completed the necessary training in the areas of occupational safety, fire protection, ecology and hygiene, as well as corporate quality management, and took a short tour of the production facilities in which they will carry out practical training until the end of April.

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