Farmers from Strumica continued their protest today, blockading the city center. They are demanding that red peppers be purchased at higher prices and have expressed outrage at what they consider negligence on the part of the Ministry of Agriculture and purchasing companies.

Extra-class peppers, which are exported, are currently being bought at 40 denars per kilogram, while the price for peppers sent for processing is 25 denars. According to the farmers, these rates are insufficient to cover production costs.

The protests began on Thursday, and the farmers have announced they will continue the blockades. They are demanding immediate intervention from institutions and the setting of higher purchase prices. With the harvest season still in its early stages, the farmers warn they could face even greater losses.

“It’s pitiful and shameful to struggle in these weather conditions. The land burns under that sun while you try to produce a lot of goods, and they want to take it for nothing. You can’t survive, let alone produce any other crop for next year,” said one farmer./TV21/

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Farmers from the Strumica region continued their blockade today, as a solution has still not been found regarding the price at which ajvarka peppers are collected.

They are demanding that first-class produce be purchased at 50 denars per kilogram.

According to the growers, the current collection conditions do not allow them to easily cover production costs. These expenses include seed material, land preparation, crop protection, irrigation and labor costs.

Today’s protest follows the discontent expressed in recent weeks by farmers in the Strumica area. The producers insist that the collection price be set at a level that guarantees them economic viability.

Ajvarka peppers are one of the most important agricultural crops in Strumica, while the collection period is particularly important for many farming families in the region.

The farmers warn that they will not end the pressure without receiving a concrete response to their demand that first-class produce be paid at 50 denars per kilogram.

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The executive has announced the approval of a decision regulating the conditions for using compensation funds. The existing credit line, managed by the Development Bank, will serve to provide capital for the purchase of unprocessed rice and the wine grape variety Vranec.

“We are taking this measure before the main procurement phase begins, a period during which companies face high financial needs for securing raw materials, the revenue from the sale or processing of which comes at a later stage,” the announcement states.

The objective of this instrument is to establish a sound financial base so that the procurement process proceeds without delays and the delivered products are paid within the specified deadlines. For this purpose, resources from the existing credit line, as well as free liquidity managed by the Development Bank, are made available. The total amount of funds reaches 793,481,723 denars, which corresponds to approximately 10.1 million euros. Of this total, 240 million denars are allocated for securing unprocessed rice, while 553,481,723 denars will be used for purchasing wine grapes of the Vranec variety.

Applications for each of these two allocations will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. According to the rules, the maximum loan amount for an entity purchasing Vranec grapes is up to 130 million denars, while for unprocessed rice the limit is 30 million denars.

As for deadlines, the credit for rice must be repaid within six months, while for grapes this period extends to nine months. A three-month grace period is provided for both lines, with payments made in quarterly installments. The financing terms include a fixed interest rate of 1% per year, with no upfront fees for loan administration, official sources clarify.

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Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia Hristijan Mickoski responded to opposition accusations over a lack of results in the agricultural sector. He said the indicators point to significant progress and the gradual overcoming of the difficult situation inherited from previous governments.

According to Mickoski, the previous government had left unpaid wages at the “Water Supply” company, deteriorated reservoirs, serious difficulties in supplying farmers with water, outstanding obligations to farmers, and delays in direct payments for 2020–2021. He said the settlement of these obligations is nearing completion, while the remaining payments to farmers and livestock breeders will also be made through the budget revision.

The head of government announced that the application cycle for 2026 subsidies has already begun. He stressed that more than 15 billion denars in direct subsidies have been distributed to farmers over the past two years.

Mickoski also stated that agricultural production has increased, while the trade deficit in the import and export of agricultural products has narrowed.

In his assessment, these results were achieved despite what he described as a “catastrophe inherited” from the previous SDSM and DUI government, as well as from the Left party, which is currently part of the opposition coalition.

He added that the opposition would continue to obstruct the government’s work, but emphasized that the executive would remain focused on its established priorities and policies.

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The opposition LSDM accused the government of failing to take any measures to compensate farmers for the damage they suffered.

The party said the storm had destroyed numerous crops in Strumica and other municipalities, leaving the future uncertain for families that depend on the sector.

According to LSDM, farmers have been left to deal with the consequences on their own.

“Through its actions, this government has shown that farmers do not matter to it. This is not the first time they have been abandoned precisely when they are in the most difficult situation. Farmers’ subsidies have been cut, chaos prevails on the ground, purchase prices are insulting, and market access remains uncertain. Farmers do not need a storm because the VMRO government is the most powerful storm they face and, like a tsunami, has devastated the entire sector. We demand that the government convene an emergency session and urgently adopt a decision on compensation and financial assistance for farmers,” said LSDM’s Tanja Ilijoska.

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According to them, the current summer conditions with high temperatures also require measures to eliminate weeds, while plants should be protected from the appearance and spread of diseases and pests.

Agrometeorologists from the Hydrometeorological Affairs Administration emphasize that this is a period when all agricultural crops have high and continuous water demands. For this reason, they advise irrigating crops, particularly spring and industrial ones. According to them, agricultural producers can continue activities and care for crops, as well as fieldwork, but due to the high temperatures irrigation should be considered essential. They also underline that attention should be paid to preparing machinery for the upcoming grain harvest, while crops should be kept under regular observation.

As they recall, during the past week the weather was mostly sunny and hot, with some local cloudiness and occasional torrential rainfall.

According to the agrometeorologists, these atmospheric conditions have been favorable for the ripening of some types of fruit, such as cherries and sour cherries, as well as some types of vegetables. They have also had a positive impact on the growth and intensive development of corn, sunflower, and other spring crops. They note that grapevines are in the bunch-closing stage and that during this phenophase regular soil cultivation should be carried out in vineyards in order to destroy weeds and preserve moisture. At the same time, regular protection against diseases and pests should also continue.

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