Curing energy concerns with solar tobacco dryers

The Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund of Croatia has said it will invest 6.5 million kuna (US$926,200) to install about 200 solar tobacco dryers in the county of Virovitica-Podravina, according to a Croatian Newsmonitor story relayed by the TMA.

The initiative is aimed at encouraging tobacco growers to use renewable sources of energy for tobacco curing.

The fund will pay 80 percent of the costs involved, while 20 percent will have to be paid for by the growers.

Growers will be able to apply for the funds from next month, according to the Newsmonitor story.