Operation Essential Harvest was a deployment mission in the Republic of North Macedonia by NATO, officially launched on August 22, 2001, and effectively started on August 27. Because national contributions were larger than expected, the force ultimately grew to approximately 4,800 troops. Troops from 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, 9 Parachute Squadron RE and members of the SAS working in the A.O.R. The operation was headquartered in a fruit processing plant called Tri Kruši in Dracevo.