The fight against counterfeit food and wine must start by strengthening short supply chains

MEP Marko Vešligaj is sounding the alarm over the precarious state of Croatian agriculture, warning of declining production and a growing reliance on imports. He argues that without greater support from both the state and the European Union, Croatian villages cannot be expected to sustain food production.

Vešligaj points to challenges such as climate change, high production costs, and market instability that plague European farmers. He believes that a stronger Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), shorter supply chains, reduced bureaucracy, robust producer organizations, and stronger cooperatives are essential. He also stresses the need for better protection against unfair commercial practices and investments in modernization and digitalization.

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We cannot expect villages to feed Europe if we do not provide them with a perspective for life and work.

Speaking to Večernji list, Vešligaj, who is the sole Croatian representative on the European Parliament's Committee on Agriculture and the lead rapporteur on the status of farmers, expressed concern over the politicization of the CAP. He also touched upon Croatia's delayed implementation of the EU directive on pay transparency to reduce the gender pay gap and the insufficient efforts regarding affordable housing in Croatia.

Vešligaj's report on the situation of farmers in the EU is scheduled for a vote in the European Parliament this autumn. His remarks underscore the urgent need for policy changes to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for European agriculture, particularly for Croatian farmers facing significant hurdles.

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European farmers certainly had an easier time when the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) was not being bartered as a pillar of the EU, which is happening today.