OSIJEK/ZAGREB, June 27 (Hina) - Following a meeting with Croatian Agriculture Minister Ivan Djurkic in Osijek on Sunday, Croatian Farmers' Association (HSS) president Ivan Kolar said Djurkic had not accepted any of the farmers'
demands. On Saturday, the HSS organised protest rallies in seven Croatian counties. The farmers blocked the roads with their tractors and machines, causing traffic jams. Asked whether the Association would organise the arrival of farmers in Zagreb, as was announced yesterday, Kolar said the HSS administrative board would have to decide about that. The farmers demand from the Government to impose a ban on the import of agricultural products of which there are sufficient amounts on the Croatian market from domestic production. They also demand the immediate payment of money for last year's crops and the change of the purchase price of wheat to US$0.18 per kilogram. The Government has ful
OSIJEK/ZAGREB, June 27 (Hina) - Following a meeting with Croatian
Agriculture Minister Ivan Djurkic in Osijek on Sunday, Croatian
Farmers' Association (HSS) president Ivan Kolar said Djurkic had
not accepted any of the farmers' demands.
On Saturday, the HSS organised protest rallies in seven Croatian
counties. The farmers blocked the roads with their tractors and
machines, causing traffic jams.
Asked whether the Association would organise the arrival of farmers
in Zagreb, as was announced yesterday, Kolar said the HSS
administrative board would have to decide about that.
The farmers demand from the Government to impose a ban on the import
of agricultural products of which there are sufficient amounts on
the Croatian market from domestic production. They also demand the
immediate payment of money for last year's crops and the change of
the purchase price of wheat to US$0.18 per kilogram.
The Government has fulfilled most of its obligations towards the
farmers, Djurkic said on Saturday, commenting on the farmers'
protests.
Imposing a ban on the import of agricultural products is impossible
due to the talks on Croatia's admission to the World Trade
Organisation (WTO), which are in their final stage, Djurkic said in
last night's central news broadcast on Croatian Television (HTV).
The Government cannot offer the farmers anything more than it had
promised the leaders of the Croatian Farmers' Association. The
Government will take certain measures against the owner of the
Virovitica sugar refinery, who is now the only one to owe the
farmers money for last year's yields, Djurkic said.
On Monday, we will pay premiums for milk and thus arrive at a level
that has been agreed on between the farmers and the Agriculture
Ministry, the Minister said.
It is not in the Ministry's or the Government's jurisdiction to
determine the purchase price of wheat, Djurkic said, commenting on
HSS's demand that the purchase price of wheat be increased to
US$0.18. The guaranteed price of wheat, which was determined last
autumn, is not the purchase price, Djurkic said.
"I expect that in relation to the guaranteed price of US$0.10 per
kilogram, the purchase price of wheat could amount to US$0.01,
which, I believe, would satisfy our producers", he said.
(hina) jn/rml