A farmer may sell homemade cheese, kajmak and poultry from their own farm only from premises registered with the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs. This is set by the Decree on placing small quantities of products of animal origin on the market, in force since 13 August 2026. The products may be sold at the place of production, at a market or fair in the same or a neighbouring municipality, in one's own or local tourist offer, by delivery to the end customer and to local shops, and only on the Montenegrin market. Up to 3,000 units of one's own poultry and rabbits may be slaughtered on the farm each year.
This guide brings together the new decree's rules for small producers in one place.
Who may sell homemade products under the new decree?
| Condition | What it means |
| premises on the farm | processing and slaughter take place in registered premises on the agricultural holding |
| registration with the Administration | the premises must be entered in the register of registered premises kept by the Administration |
| risk assessment | an official inspection assesses that food safety is not at risk |
| approved derogations | the Administration approves derogations from the specific hygiene requirements |
| traditional method | there is evidence of the traditional production method |
| additional controls | sampling, own checks, traceability and product labelling |
- The Administration publishes the register of premises for products of animal origin on farms on its website.
- Apart from traditional products and areas with specific geographical constraints, derogations apply only to the construction, layout and equipment of the premises.
What applies to cheese and kajmak?
- Raw milk for fresh cheese and kajmak must come from animals on one's own farm.
- The herd of cows, sheep and goats must have officially brucellosis- and tuberculosis-free status.
- Raw milk is tested in an accredited laboratory at least four times a year for somatic cell count and micro-organisms.
- The premises must have space for receiving and storing milk, storage for milk and products, and a changing area.
- For traditional cheeses and cheeses matured for more than 60 days in constrained areas, up to 300,000 micro-organisms per millilitre of cow's milk and up to 400,000 somatic cells are allowed, as a three-month average.
What applies to slaughtering poultry and rabbits on the farm?
| Rule | Detail |
| annual limit | up to 3,000 units of one's own animals |
| counting units | chicken, hen and one head of feathered game 1, duck 2, turkey, goose and rabbit 3 |
| origin | the animals must be reared and slaughtered on the same farm |
| chilling | carcasses are chilled to 4°C or below within four hours |
| equipment | a slaughter room, a cold room or cooling unit and a sink with hot and cold water |
| training | proof that the person slaughtering is trained in humane slaughter methods |
Where may products from the farm be sold?
| Place of sale | Allowed |
| at the place of production | yes |
| market or sales fair in the same or a neighbouring municipality | yes |
| own or local tourist offer | yes |
| delivery to the end customer | yes, in a vehicle with equipment to maintain and monitor temperature |
| local shops selling to end customers | yes |
| export outside Montenegro | no |
What must the label show?
- The product name, list of ingredients and ingredients that cause allergies.
- The quantity of ingredients and the net quantity.
- The best-before or use-by date and special storage conditions.
- The name and address of the producer responsible for the food information.
- Origin for products with a geographical indication, and nutrition information.
How to register a farm is explained in the guide to the farm register, and where to sell in Podgorica in the guide to markets. The rules on health checks for people working with food are in the guide to the sanitary booklet, and support for milk and livestock in the guide to the agri-budget.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell homemade cheese without registration? No. Under the decree, cheese and kajmak from the farm may be placed on the market only from premises entered in the Food Safety Administration's register.
Since when does the small quantities decree apply? Since 13 August 2026, the eighth day after publication in the Official Gazette of Montenegro 116/2026.
Where can I sell kajmak from my farm? At the place of production, at a market or fair in the same or a neighbouring municipality, in the tourist offer, by delivery to the customer and to local shops.
How much poultry may I slaughter on the farm for sale? Up to 3,000 units of one's own animals a year, where a chicken counts as one, a duck as two, and a turkey, goose or rabbit as three units.
Can I sell homemade cheese abroad? No. Products from premises under this decree may be placed only on the Montenegrin market.
How often must milk for cheese be tested? Raw milk is tested in an accredited laboratory at least four times a year.
Sources
The rules are set by the Decree on placing small quantities of products of animal origin intended for human consumption on the market (Official Gazette 116/2026), Articles 2 to 9 and 12, adopted under the Food Safety Law (Official Gazette 59/2026). Premises registers and application forms are published by the Administration for Food Safety, Veterinary and Phytosanitary Affairs. Information checked on 29 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; this text is not legal advice.