FARMERS OF SLAVONIJA AND BARANJA WRITE TO MESIC AND RACAN

OSIJEK, Mar 7 (Hina) - An association of farmers from Slavonija and Baranja on Tuesday sent a letter to President Stipe Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan informing them that they were not able to start the spring sowing because they still had not received money for the produce they handed over six months ago. The association also warned the Government that farmers would stage rallies should it fail to start dealing with their requests by March 15. The association demands urgent solutions for problems in agriculture, primarily payments for the produce farmers have handed over, such as wheat, sugar beet, sunflower, grapes, stalled hogs, as well as benefits for the produce that has been handed over. Also, the association believes that state incentives for agriculture "must be increased by 100 percent... due to Croatia's announced admission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)" and "the timely competition in a highly subsidised agricultural production of the European Union." The farmers also demand a change of the state policy toward agriculture as an important strategic branch. They oppose non- selective imports, especially of meat and meat products, and estimate that "the meat market is not functioning because the purchase of cattle in Croatia is not organised." (hina) mm rml