Several hundred milk producer from central Serbia, dissatisfied with the price, purchase and large import of milk, blocked the Ibar highway in Mrčajevci and the road in Knić, on the Kragujevac - Kraljevo direction, with tractors. At protest Tons of milk were spilled in Knić, N1 announced.
As it is estimated, this is the most massive protest of farmers so far. About four tons of milk were spilled in Knić alone.
More than a hundred tractors are blocked in Ibarska, and a large number of them are also in Knić, according to our reporters.
It is planned, say the milk producers at the protest in Mrčajevci, that the blockade will last from 13 to 15 p.m., although it is not excluded that, if the farmers decide otherwise, the blockade will be permanent until the invitations from the Government of Serbia arrive, not from the Minister of Agriculture, but from the Government of Serbia, because the agony in milk production does not last for weeks, but months and years.
In this region, the purchase price of milk was returned to 2013 and ranges from 25 to 34 dinars, and some dairies have stopped purchasing milk due to large imports.
The situation is similar in Knić, but the producers brought milk balloons and large canisters there, which they spilled as a sign of protest.
She states that there is a great response from farmers at the blockade near Knić.
Farmers state that they were paid 25 dinars for a liter of milk, and that it is devastating that a liter of milk is cheaper than banana cream.
"The necessity of the people pushed me to come here," says a farmer from the village of Grabovac, in the municipality of Knić.
He also explained why milk is spilled.
"The state does not stand behind us, they import that milk, what do I know, cheeses, milk, God forbid. We are in the mud, now I have changed my clothes, people are knee-deep in mud, we are treading mud, we have worked hard, I have three sons, I need to feed them," laments the farmer.
Milk producers seek protection of the domestic milk and meat market by introducing levies and quotas, establishing a border control laboratory to prevent fraud with milk and dairy products, anti-dumping on all products that threaten domestic agricultural production.
Farmers also demand the return of milk and meat prices to the level before the reduction, as well as a guaranteed purchase of milk from each producer.
Source: H1
