Kocani rice farmers demand right to import crop protection products themselves
Harvest begins in Zrnovci; producers warn low yields due to weeds and push for permission to import crop protection products and subsidies.
Harvesting of rice in the Kocani region has begun, with the first plots already reaped in Zrnovci and the official start of harvesting in the Ceshinovo-Obleshevo municipality scheduled for tomorrow. Farmers from that municipality — where most of the area's rice is grown — warn this year’s yields will be low because of weed infestation.
Producers call to be allowed to import their own crop protection products
Growers say ineffective crop protection products are reducing the harvest. They estimate yields from infested fields will reach only 300 to 350 kilograms of rice per decare. At the same time, they face a low purchase price at the start of the harvest.
Farmers are asking the state to permit registered agricultural producers to import crop protection products themselves. They expect authorities to soon complete a calculation of production costs.
As a longer-term solution, producers propose adopting a special regulation to govern the purchase and sale of white rice, aiming to protect both farmers and consumers; they say current margins are captured by buyers and traders.
About 4,000 hectares are planted with rice in the Kocani area this year, and farmers report that barns still hold part of the 2024 and 2025 harvests. They are also seeking from the Government and the ministry in charge the green-diesel subsidies, which would reduce the cost of harvesting rice over the next two months.
Viktorija Jovanova
Photo: press material from the event
