The Croatian Farmers' Trade Union (SHS) said on Wednesday it would not accept the agreement reached by farmers' associations, wheat buyers and the government on the purchase price of wheat and on the payment of subsidies to wheat farmers, urging the government to pay by the end of its term late subsidies to farmers and stockbreeders.
Addressing a news conference, SHS leader Tomislav Pokrovac gave the government time until August 15 to meet the union's demands, adding that otherwise the SHS would block roads and border crossings.
Pokrovac said the SHS demanded a purchase price of wheat of HRK 1.60 per kilogram, the payment of incentives for the current year before the start of autumn sowing, and the legalisation of farming facilities.
He called on the government to influence the price of sowing material, noting that it was intolerable for farmers to have to give four kilograms of wheat for one kilogram of artificial fertilisers.
Forty-five farmers' associations that were to have blocked roads in eight counties on Tuesday gave up their protest plans following progress in negotiations with the agriculture ministry and wheat buyers, and held warning protests in only three locations in Osijek County.
