We expect well-argumented talks, farmer Branko Zoric told reporters entering the ministry building.

Earlier on Monday, over 200 dairy farmers gathered outside the Agriculture Ministry in Zagreb to protest against the proposed purchase price of milk, saying they would continue their protests until their demands were met.

Asked by reporters whether the protesters would lift roadblocks, Zoric said that they were prepared to remove the roadblocks if arguments were provided at the talks.

We must sit and talk about problems, he said.

Apart from blocking roads across Croatia, the protesters also surrounded the Zagreb-based Dukat dairy company and the Bjelovar-based Sirela factory with their tractors.

Minister 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.

The dairy farmers, organised by the HSUPM, have been protesting for 14 days now, unhappy with the purchase price of 2.30 kuna per kilogram of milk, 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.