The deputy chairman of the association, Jakov Pavicic, said that according to information from the Ministry of the Economy approval had been given for the import of 800 tonnes of beef. He added that his association feared that there were still considerable quantities of beef in customs warehouses and that this autumn the Croatian market would be inundated by imported beef.
It is hard for domestic cattle farmers to sell their cattle as prices have dropped by two kunas per kilogram, he warned.
The association believes that the import of beef from Brazil and Poland was against the law, arguing that Croatia does not have a customs tariff number for such goods, whose shelf life is 120 days. Although it is preserved, the beef is sold as fresh in contravention of the Croatian law which says that meat can be fresh no more than 14 days.
EU countries have imposed customs to protect themselves from beef imports from Argentina at dumping prices, which is not the case in Croatia, Pavicic said.
The Baby Beef association expects the government to abide by the agreement that was reached recently and to take urgent steps to protect domestic cattle farmers and fix minimum and maximum prices of beef and baby beef.