Karanfilova‑Panovska: Kočani rice producers face catastrophic conditions

Fani Karanfilova Panovska, deputy chair of SDSM, warned that rice farmers in the Kočani region are facing a dire situation that threatens the continuity of production next year unless emergency financial aid is provided. Her remarks came during a visit to the "Days of Kočani Rice" event in the village of Gorni Podlog.

Price collapse, stalled purchases

Karanfilova Panovska said producers are confronted with extremely low purchasing prices that do not cover their basic production costs, and that procurement has largely stopped.

She said: "Today there is no purchase of rice, and what is purchased is at a price of 16 denars per kilogram, which is terribly humiliating." The deputy SDSM chair contrasted the current level with 2021, when the purchase price was 42 denars.

She added that the present price is wholly inadequate given recent rises in fuel, fertilizer and machinery costs. "Today, when farmers, rice producers, face a serious increase in the price of oil, of fertilizers, of all mechanization, this price absolutely does not cover the costs. The lack of procurement is additionally worrying," she said.

Karanfilova Panovska noted that SDSM has already proposed a legislative change in the Assembly that foresees an additional support payment of 10 denars for every produced and purchased kilogram of rice. She called on the ruling majority, VMRO-DPMNE and the entire government coalition to consider and back the proposal and to secure those funds in the announced budget rebalance by the end of the year.

She warned that without timely state assistance there is a real risk that fields will remain unplanted next season, undermining rice cultivation across North Macedonia.

Photo: press material from the event