Serbian Farmers Demand Government Explanation for Low Crop Prices

Serbian farmers have formally appealed to the government, seeking an explanation for the significantly lower prices of their agricultural products, including wheat, corn, and sunflower, compared to regional markets. In a letter, agricultural associations from Vojvodina and central Serbia expressed concern that cartel-like agreements on crop prices are actively destroying the agricultural sector.

The farmers highlighted the current offer for sunflower at an initial advance price of 43.2 dinars per kilogram. This is particularly concerning as the price of crude oil derived from sunflowers has neared its 2022 historical maximum, when the grain itself was paid at 65 dinars per kilogram. Compounding the low prices, drought has severely reduced yields, with harvests ranging from 800 kilograms per hectare in Banat to 2.8 tons in central Serbia, a stark contrast to the average yield of around four tons per hectare.

According to the farmers, no branch of agriculture is currently free from problems. They assert that the prices for wheat, corn, and sunflower in Serbia are not even close to the low levels seen in neighboring countries. The overall situation for Serbian farmers is described as increasingly dire each year, burdened by adverse weather conditions and prices that fall below the threshold for survival.

The agricultural groups stated that their future actions will depend on whether the government, specifically the ministries of agriculture and trade, can ensure trade practices free from cartelistic price manipulation. They are awaiting a response that addresses these critical issues impacting their livelihoods and the viability of Serbian agriculture.

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All our further steps will depend on whether the Government, i.e. the relevant ministries of agriculture and trade, will establish trade without the burden of cartelistic price agreements on agricultural products, which results in the destruction of agriculture.