Tobacco farmers are starting civic disobedience Thursday as a form of protest against the low tobacco buyout price. The president of the striking board, Kire Nedelkovski, said that with civic disobedience they would express their anger over the fact that their demands had not been met and the conclusions proposed to the Parliament by the opposition had been rejected.
The Parliament discussed Tuesday the problem of the tobacco farmers, who waited for the outcome of the debate outside the Parliament building in a tense atmosphere. What the MPs adopted as a conclusion were recommendations, appeals and suggestions for analyses of a number of segments in the tobacco farming industry. The Parliament recommended the registered purchase firms direct dialogue with the tobacco farmers appealing for objective tobacco evaluation and dismissing those who misuse their positions for personal and other interests. It also recommended that the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture should continue keeping close control of the buyout and if necessary to intensify the control further.
What could solve the tobacco farmers’ problem permanently is a recommendation to the relevant ministry to make an analysis of the laws and bylaws, especially as regards the classifications of the quality and the severity of the punitive provisions. The Parliament appeals that the handing of the tobacco should continue by the previously determined schedule and that farmers should use all available procedures for protection of their rights in the event of detected irregularities.
In the course of the debate, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski stressed that over 4 million kg of tobacco had so far been bought out at an average price of 143 denars per kg. He underlined that all 212 buyout points in the country were opened, that 800 control procedures were carried out and that fines of 225,000 euros were handed down.
“At the moment, the price stands at 143 denars with a tendency to grow, because the buyout is gaining ground and as usual the tobacco of higher quality is sold later. We expect another 20-21 million kg to be purchased and the price to reach some 170 denars,” Pesevski said and appealed to tobacco farmers to continue handing over their yield.
The average buyout price is 140 denars in Bitola, 137 denars in Veles, 116 denars in Delcevo, 154 denars in Skopje and 166 denars in Prilep. SDSM suggested that the buyout price be at least 192 denars, which is last year’s average, that the Parliament should propose to the Government to instruct the state-run tobacco company Tutunski kombinat Prilep to purchase the tobacco surplus as well and to pay more subsidies if the suggested price was not fetched. These suggestions were turned down.
The tobacco farmers from the region of Prilep and Bitola, unsatisfied with the conclusions passed in Parliament, announced more radical measures. They say they are going to continue protesting Friday and state what the more radical measures are Thursday.
“The protests have been on hold for two days although we are not pleased. We are continuing our protests and roadblocks Friday and we are also going to take other more radical measures. We do not renounce our demands for a higher buyout price,” said protest leader Kire Nedelkovski.
And while some farmers protest, others are selling their tobacco. The State Agriculture Inspectorate said that in the Veles village of Ivankovci the buyout was finished completely. Tobacco farmers, on the other hand, stress they refuse to sell at a low price considering that this year’s tobacco is of better quality from last year’s.
“The price is low and the evaluation is not objective. I have sown more tobacco than last year. My wife and I are not employed. How can the price be 100 denars per kg when prices of all other products have gone up?” says 35-year-old Saso Jordanoski from Prilep.
