The RS Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management did not pay more than 111 million marks or almost two-thirds of last year’s incentives to RS farmers.
Out of the total agricultural budget for last year, which after the second rebalancing amounted to 174.4 million KM, less than 63 million KM were paid to farmers, while more than 111 million KM were entered into the system, but not paid, reports Capital.
The largest debt of about 9.7 million KM refers to debts for regressed fuel, and then to the premium for milking cows, for which 8.6 million KM is owed, and which 2,919 users are waiting for.
After the debt for the regressed fuel and the debt to the dairy farmers, for which they recently started protests, the largest debt of about 7.4 million KM refers to incentives for agricultural machinery – attachments, and approximately the same amount is owed for tractors.
More than 6.9 million is owed for incentives for technological equipment, followed by debt for livestock equipment (more than 5.4 million KM), premiums for fruit (4.2 million) and premiums for vegetables for which 4.6 million KM is owed. More than three million is owed for broiler fattening (3.2 million), pig fattening (3.1 million) and beef fattening (3.02 million).
Millions of dollars are owed for premiums for sheep and goats (2.7 million), premiums for sows and gilts (2.3 million), allowances for soybeans and sunflowers (2.4 million) and premiums for bees (just over two million KM).
According to the official data of the line ministry obtained by Capital, ten monthly premiums for milk were paid to dairies last year.
The premium for January in the amount of 2.44 million KM was paid in March and since then premiums have been paid every month. The last premium for October in the amount of 3.28 million KM was paid in December, and a total of 31.6 million KM was paid. Dairy farmers are owed two premiums for the past year.
More than one million marks is owed for support to municipalities (1.2 million), animal health protection (1.3 million), irrigation (1.4 million), insurance premiums and breeding heifers (1.5 million each), and one and a half million marks is also owed for animal husbandry facilities and support for organic production.
How the government treats agricultural producers is also shown by the fact that the agricultural budget for last year was reduced by more than six million KM by the second rebalancing.
– The originally adopted budget for agriculture amounted to 181 million KM, but it was reduced by more than six million by the second rebalancing. Those more than six million were removed and given to Prijedor for flood damage repair. Of course, it was necessary to help the people who were threatened by the flood, but those six million could have been taken from some other budget position, and not taken from the farmers – concludes the interlocutor of Capital from the agricultural sector.
