Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) official Josip Kraljickovic warned on Tuesday that Croatian rural areas and agriculture cannot not survive without state aid and that the reduction of state subsidies would trigger off mass-scale departures from the rural areas, which, he said, should also be treated as a demographic issue.
The representative of the opposition parliamentary party told a news conference in the eastern city of Osijek that the physical volume of agricultural production has decreased by 10% in comparison to 2011 and that the total value of production went down by 3%.
This year, farmers have so far received state subsidies to the amount of HRK 1.7 billion kuna, although they are entitled to HRK 2.5 billion in 2013, Kraljickovic said.
During its term so far since 23 December 2011, this government has paid HRK 4.1 billion as state aid to farmers, and the previous government had earmarked HRK 5.7 billion in two years before that, he said.
Kraljickovic also pushed for the adoption of a strategy for agricultural development, and for the creation of a strong and united chamber of agricultural producers who are currently represented by over 800 associations.
Mijo Latin of the HSS said that disgruntled farmers had not staged tractor blockades in order to undermine the country but that their dissatisfaction had been triggered off by Agriculture Minister Tihomir Jakovina's poor work.
He joined in criticism of the minister over uneven and non-transparent payment of subsides.
After protesting on roads in eastern Croatia for more than 10 days, local farmers on Tuesday started lifting their tractor blockades. They still insist on full payment of the state aid designated to farmers this year and on Jakovina's resignation as well as on mediation of the government in efforts to determine the price of grain.
