Association of Manufacturers milk Sumadije and Pomoravlja and the Association farmers "Sajkača" decided to end the protest, because the construction season is in progress, and they will decide on further steps in their struggle after that.
The farmers of those two associations announced that at the meeting in To the Government of Serbia held on Wednesday (March 4), no agreement was reached with the Ministry of Agriculture, and that they are not satisfied with what was offered to them.
They condemned the "brutal action of the police" against the farmers and demanded their immediate release from custody Zlatko Kokanović and all those arrested.
Despite the fact that they said that no agreement was reached during the meeting with the Government of Serbia Ministry of Agriculture, they said that "dialogue is open on all issues relevant to the current situation in which it is located agriculture in Serbia".
Photo: Branko Vučković/FoNetProtest of farmers in the town of Bare
What was agreed?
The associations point out that their demands have not been met, but that they were promised that the Ministry of Agriculture and the Government of Serbia will do the following in the coming period:
- the purchase of cheese stocks was initiated in order to free up space for new milk purchases;
- support was provided to dairies in the marketing of cheeses in trade chains;
- discussions continue with the European Commission on levies on cheeses and milk powder;
- next week, the Government's decision on mandatory contracts between producers and processors/buyers for agricultural products is expected;
- the dairies mentioned by the producers were contacted, with a request for a correction of the purchase price of milk;
- the new rulebook on declaring, labeling and advertising food, which should be adopted during the week;
- the graphic label "100 percent from Serbia" is introduced, and the label cannot be used by products where all the ingredients are not of Serbian origin.
"One hundred percent from Serbia": Wrapping problems with a nice bow and selling fog
The Ministry initiates an increase in customs duties
The announcement also adds that the Ministry of Agriculture sent an initiative to change the Decision on customs duties on certain goods and the proposed changes are:
- increase in duty on powdered milk;
- nine percent customs duty for imports from the European Union;
- 20 percent customs duty for imports from third countries;
- the campaign "Drinking our own - preserving domestic milk" was launched. The aim of the campaign is to support domestic producers and increase the consumption of domestic milk.
