“The first published agricultural census data show alarming trends in this field. Over the past five years, agricultural land has decreased by more than a fifth, and the number of farms has dropped by 10 percent. If this trend continues, we will depend on food imports. French farmers, dissatisfied with the situation, attacked President Emmanuel Macron at the opening of the annual exhibition in Paris on Saturday.
Although less radical, farmers in Serbia are also dissatisfied. The arable land is shrinking, having decreased by 24 percent in the past 11 years.
“Considering that the total arable land is decreasing through large infrastructure projects and other construction projects, this can be very critical in the coming period,” said agro-economist Milan Prostran.
Less arable land necessarily leads to a reduction in the number of farmers, and livestock farmers are not in a much better position. The number of cattle has decreased by 17 percent in the last 5 years, and pigs by as much as 30 percent. Farmers say the reason is that both crop and livestock farmers operate at a loss.
“We come to the point that one kilogram of wheat costs us 17 dinars, and the current price of wheat is 18 dinars. The terminology associated with us is that we are the guardians of social peace; I’m afraid that we are the biggest gamblers in this country lately,” says farmer Saša Tomas.
Farmers gamble with every new investment, so they spent days on the streets to achieve a potential 35,000 dinars per hectare of arable land.
“These protests, I know that this is not a popular measure – going out on the road, blocking people who have nothing to do with agriculture. It’s really uncomfortable for us, but it’s the last line of defense for our dignity,” emphasized farmer Saša Tomas.
Farmers across Europe have also chosen to defend their dignity on the streets. However, their position seems better.
“European farmers enjoy 30 percent of the EU budget, while ours enjoy just under 7 percent; all of us involved in science advocate that this should not be below 10 percent,” says agro-economist Milan Prostran.
Serbian farmers have been negotiating with the relevant minister for better conditions since the last blockades, but their expectations have not been met. Therefore, they announce new protests – this time, they say, due to the difficult process of registering plots for agreed subsidies per hectare, as well as due to delays in the refund of fuel excise taxes.
“The one who always suffers is the peasant,” concludes farmer Saša Tomas.”
