ZAGREB, March 3 (Hina) - The payment for produce which Croatian farmers have delivered, should begin as of next Monday, in line with agreement reached between Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa and representatives of the Association of
Farmers of Eastern Slavonia and Baranja in Zagreb on Wednesday. Debts which should be paid to farmers climbed to 80 million kunas (about US$ 12 million), farmers said adding that such unsettled debts could affect the financing of the spring sowing. After Wednesday's meeting, the Association postponed the beginning of its protest action scheduled to start today by blocking roads in eastern Croatia. Another meeting on payment of the sold products is scheduled for Friday between farmers and ministers of finance, agriculture and economy, as well as officials from commodity stockpiles and representatives of three sugar refineries, two oil mills, Slavonian dairies and the food pr
ZAGREB, March 3 (Hina) - The payment for produce which Croatian
farmers have delivered, should begin as of next Monday, in line with
agreement reached between Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa and
representatives of the Association of Farmers of Eastern Slavonia
and Baranja in Zagreb on Wednesday.
Debts which should be paid to farmers climbed to 80 million kunas
(about US$ 12 million), farmers said adding that such unsettled
debts could affect the financing of the spring sowing.
After Wednesday's meeting, the Association postponed the
beginning
of its protest action scheduled to start today by blocking roads in
eastern Croatia.
Another meeting on payment of the sold products is scheduled for
Friday between farmers and ministers of finance, agriculture and
economy, as well as officials from commodity stockpiles and
representatives of three sugar refineries, two oil mills,
Slavonian dairies and the food processing factory "Belje".
Premier Matesa described Wednesday's talks as very good.
He promised that the State would settle debts toward farmers, and
explained that two thirds of the incurred debts did not refer to the
Government.
There is no protest action by Monday, a representative of the
farmers' association, Antun Laslo, told after Wednesday's talks.
In case that debts should not be settled, farmers will be forced to
organise protest rallies since they could not have means to finance
the spring owing, Laslo added.
He said Matesa pledged to them to cut prices of artificial
fertilisers by 30 percent.
Matesa said participants in today's talks did not discuss whether
farmers should take protest action. However, he added, if they
decided to protest, they should not impede the traffic.
(hina) ms