Strumica farmers will return to protest after the price of “ajvarka” peppers fell again to 25 denars per kilogram, although the agreement reached after the protests had stipulated 30 denars. The “Youth of Murtino” local association, which organized the protests, announced that the next rally will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. in front of the Agriculture Ministry building in Strumica.

Producers are calling for the mayors of Strumica and the surrounding municipalities to also take part in the protest. They are also urging Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski to take, as they put it, an “excursion to Strumica.”

The farmers are addressing Agriculture Minister Borče Serafimovski, asking him for “magical advice” on how they can get through the winter without receiving their subsidies while also securing preparations for planting next season’s crops.

Two weeks ago, “ajvarka” pepper growers in Strumica organized several protests, during which they blocked major intersections in the region and also held a blockade in front of the Agriculture Ministry’s unit in Strumica. Following Minister Borče Serafimovski’s mediation with buyers and traders, the farmers were informed that prices would increase by five denars.

Under the agreement, first-class “kurtovska kapija” peppers would be bought for 40 denars, first- and second-class peppers for 30 denars, industrial-grade peppers for 30 denars, while “shkart” would be paid 15 denars. Since around 80 percent of the produce was being bought as industrial grade at 25 denars, the increase for this category was five denars per kilogram.

The farmers say they made no public statements for five days, while continuing their communication with Agriculture Minister Borče Serafimovski. According to them, the authorities were informed about the situation, but the agreement was not implemented on the ground and they saw no serious commitment from the institutions.

“The farmer has been pushed into an organized attack by several ‘executioner’ factories that determine his fate, while the state and its institutions stand by as silent observers, pretending to be powerless, without activating or creating any proper mechanism to protect the farmer—the people who feed this state. Enough!” the organizers wrote, saying they feel manipulated, undervalued and outraged.

After the agreement reached with buyers and traders, Minister Serafimovski had announced inspections during the purchase of “ajvarka” peppers. The director of the State Agriculture Inspectorate, Ivica Angelovski, went to the field together with several state inspectors, stating that the produce was being purchased in accordance with the agreement: 30 denars for first- and second-class peppers and for industrial-grade peppers.

The main quantity collected is sent for processing to local processors, while part of it is exported to Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and other countries.

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International experts have warned that major difficulties in food supplies could emerge next year as a result of a shortage of artificial fertilizer. While strategic reserves exist for oil, no such provision has been made for fertilizer. Without fertilizer there is no productivity, and without productivity there can be no food. SDSM assesses that this risk is not a distant scenario, but a reality that Macedonia is already experiencing.

According to the opposition, farmers continue to negotiate prices that barely compensate for their labor and expenses. The problem of collecting peppers, the statement said, was addressed only after the issue became public.

Mucunski later declared that everything was proceeding as expected.

SDSM alleges that the situation is repeating the same pattern: first chaos is created, then an agreement is reached at the last minute, and finally a press conference is held to declare that the issue has been resolved.

“The farmer who has secured his harvest does not live on statements. His income depends on the price, the collection deadline and payment,” SDSM said.

The party emphasizes that subsidies are either delayed or reduced, while costs for fuel, seeds, fertilizer and irrigation have increased. It also claims that milk is being purchased at prices that do not even cover basic expenses, that some land is not being planted and that food imports are rising.

SDSM describes as a paradox the fact that the state claims agriculture is growing, while at the same time becoming increasingly dependent on imported food. According to the party, this does not constitute development, but rather a weakening of food security.

“At a time when the world is discussing fertilizer reserves, our country is not even offering minimum protection for the next season. Who will buy fertilizer if the state delays payments? Who will plant when it is not known whether the harvest will be collected? Who will invest in irrigation when water is a problem in one city, while canals are the problem in other regions?” SDSM asks.

According to SDSM, the government presents rising market prices as a success for farmers. However, citizens are paying more for peppers, tomatoes and apples, while producers continue to struggle for 30 or 40 denars and to find out whether the collector will show up in the fields or not.

“This is not policy, but a transfer of the burden onto the producer and the consumer. Instead of being regional leaders in food production, farmers are barely surviving. Macedonia has the capacity to feed the region, but with VMRO-DPMNE’s policies, we will not even have enough food for our own tables,” SDSM said.

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The livestock farmers’ protest in front of the government took place at a time when the spread of sheep pox is causing great concern. According to their data, between 7,000 and 10,000 sheep have died so far, while 40 to 50 flocks have been eliminated.

Sheep breeders are demanding that vaccines be provided in time and that owners affected by the disease be compensated for their losses. They express alarm over the continuous emergence of new outbreaks, which increase the risk of the infection spreading to other flocks.

“So far, we have over 50 outbreaks, around 40 to 50 destroyed flocks, and about 40 families have been left without a livelihood, left on the street with nothing to do. Behind me are some of those whose flocks have been destroyed, and we demand that these people be paid, or rather compensated, as soon as possible,” said Naser Xhemaili, chairman of the Sheep Breeders’ League.

The livestock farmers also oppose the current compensation scheme. According to them, the payment of 100 denars per kilogram does not come close to the true value of the sheep.

Milena Veličkoviq from the Sheep Breeders’ League from Kumanova stated that so far, protecting the flocks remains largely the responsibility of the farmers themselves. She demanded that the state intervene to protect domestic livestock farming.

Furthermore, the farmers called on the government to take stronger measures to preserve the country’s livestock fund, as this would also create opportunities for increased lamb meat exports.

“I believe negotiations regarding vaccination have been ongoing for more than a month. Honestly, we have not heard any argument against vaccination, any reason not to vaccinate. The only argument for not implementing vaccination is that they are trying to cope with the disease and because perhaps the European Union might impose an export ban on us,” declared Milena Veličkoviq of the “Modern Ovcar” sheep breeders’ league.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Economy announced that, together with the Food and Veterinary Agency, it is continuously monitoring the epidemiological situation. Authorities have urged farmers not to carry out vaccinations themselves, as such an action could hinder epidemiological monitoring and increase the risk to flocks.

“The Ministry and the FVA warn livestock farmers that the independent procurement and use of the vaccine, at their own expense and without prior approval from the Agency, will be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions in force. In such a case, the owner will not have the right to compensation for sick animals, nor to indemnity for animals destroyed due to the fight against and eradication of the disease. Vaccination can only be carried out by authorized veterinary services, under the direct supervision of the FVA,” the Ministry of Agriculture stated.

According to the Ministry, the Republic of Turkey has provided 500,000 doses of vaccines in the form of a donation, and they are expected to arrive in the coming days. Meanwhile, a request for additional vaccines has been sent to the European Commission. Before being used, the doses will undergo mandatory laboratory analysis to verify their safety and purity. The vaccination campaign will commence after the results are confirmed and will be implemented according to an official plan, under the supervision of the FVA. /tv21

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Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced that a solution has been found to the situation involving pepper growers and that the purchase of their produce has continued for several days in line with expectations.

He said information provided by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy indicated that talks had been held between the parties with the aim of resolving the problem.

Mickoski said the Government supports farmers and their demand for higher purchase prices for agricultural products. According to him, collectors have undervalued the growers’ work.

“We support farmers in seeking higher prices. When we told them, ‘Let’s protest together outside the collectors’ premises,’ they said no. They told us that this did not suit them. We then told them: if this does not suit you, the Government is not a collector,” Mickoski said.

The Prime Minister explained that farmers had been advised to organize protests outside the largest collectors’ premises, together with representatives of the Government and local authorities, but the growers had not accepted the proposal.

According to him, the purchase of peppers is currently continuing, while the Government will remain committed to supporting farmers and improving their working conditions.

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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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