Over 200 dairy farmers gathered outside the Agriculture Ministry building in Zagreb at noon on Monday to protest against the proposed purchase price of milk, saying they would continue their protests until their demands were met.
The dairy farmers, organised by the Federation of Milk Produces' Associations (HSUPM), have been protesting for 14 days now, unhappy with the purchase price of 2.30 kuna per kilogram of milk, which was proposed last month by Dukat, Croatia's biggest milk buyer.
The HSUPM on Thursday evening rejected an agreement between some of the milk producers and dairy companies to calculate the purchase price of milk based on an average price in five EU member states, according to which the purchase price would now be 2.43 kuna.
The HSUPM demands further negotiations with the relevant state institutions, saying that a minimum purchase price of 2.71 kuna was necessary for the survival of dairy farmers.
Agriculture Minister Tihomir Jakovina said in a radio interview on Monday morning that the protesting dairy farmers should negotiate with representatives of the dairy industry rather than with the government.
