POTATO GROWERS STAGE PEACEFUL RALLY AGAINST GOVT DECISION

CAKOVEC, Oct 18 (Hina) - About a hundred growers of mercantile potato held a peaceful rally at the border crossing Gorican on the Croatian-Hungarian border between noon and 2pm on Wednesday, protesting against the government's decision to cancel quantity duties for mercantile potato imports. The government adopted the decision in order to lower potato prices, which, it believes, are too high. Potato growers from the northern Croatian Medjimurje County, who organised today's rally, claim the government is not right. They expect Agriculture Minister Bozidar Pankretic to accept their argument that with high production prices and drought they cannot sell potato for less than two kuna. The president of the county association of potato growers, Franjo Dodlek, said the main problem is that on its way from the grower to the consumer the price of potato at least doubles and this is what the government should direct its measures against. There are farmers in Medjimurje, the region which accounts for 50 percent of potato market surplus, who sell their potato at a price of two kuna, Dodlek claims. The association requests that potato be included in the system of state incentives with 2,500 kuna per hectare, which would enable the state to have insight into quantities and varieties. (hina) jn rml