Straiste: 25 Million Euros to Irrigate 1,500 Hectares Near Valandovo, for About 6,000 Farmers
The third phase of the irrigation system has started, with 70 kilometres of pipeline and about 500 hydrants. The average is about 0.25 hectares per farmer.
Pirava, Valandovo – In the village of Pirava on November 6 the start of the third phase of the Straiste irrigation system was marked. The investment is 25 million euros and will irrigate 1,500 hectares of agricultural land in the Valandovo region, worked by about 6,000 farmers. The event was attended by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, together with the Mayor of Valandovo Gjoko Kamcev.
“This infrastructure will enable the use of drip irrigation,” said Agriculture Minister Borce Serafimovski. According to him, for producers this will mean “greater control over crop cultivation”, and farmers will receive “expert recommendations for efficient use of the system”.
The project provides for a pressurised network of 70 kilometres of pipelines, about 500 hydrants and a new pumping station. The third phase builds on the first two phases of the Vardar Valley project, and cooperation continues with the German development bank KfW. Besides construction, the project includes advisory support and practical training.
The numbers are interesting when divided. By the editorial calculation, 25 million euros over 1,500 hectares is about 16,700 euros per hectare, or about 1 million denars per hectare at 61.5 denars per euro. The total is about 1.54 billion denars.
The other calculation shows the face of agriculture in the region: 1,500 hectares for 6,000 farmers is about 0.25 hectares, or 2.5 decares per farmer. That means these are mostly small plots, where drip irrigation matters especially, but also that the average may hide large differences between bigger and smaller producers.
The pipeline is 70 kilometres and the hydrants about 500, or roughly one hydrant for every three hectares and about 47 metres of pipe per hectare (our calculation). With them access to water should get closer to the plots.
From the government announcement the completion deadline is not known, nor how much maintaining the system will cost, nor what rise in yields and incomes is expected. That is why it is hard to assess the return on the investment. The announcement states only the conclusion that stable production should support farmers’ incomes and local processing, storage and trade.
The next step is the publication of the construction deadline and the payment schedule, which will show whether irrigation will reach the fields before next season.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · November 7, 2026
