In the coming period, a new blow could come to the already impoverished pockets of citizens. Due to unfavorable weather conditions and increased costs, producers from the Tuzla Canton are announcing the possibility of increasing the purchase price of milk in the coming days. This would also result in an increase in the price of this product in stores.
According to the announcements of the producers, the cheapest milk on store shelves could reach three BAM, and an increase in the price of other dairy products is also certain. Namely, after repeatedly warning about the alarming situation in this sector, dairy farmers say that they are on the verge of survival. The purchase price of 80 pfennigs per liter cannot cover all costs and enable survival.
“We had a very turbulent and difficult year when it comes to our crops, silage and all other field crops that we use in milk production, and as a result we have also had increases in the price of electricity and minimum wages,” says Eldin Glibanović, president of the Tuzla Canton Dairy Farmers’ Association.
“Producers are on the verge of survival when it comes to milk. Milk has already become more expensive in the markets, all our citizens have certainly seen and felt that, while in our country the purchase price has remained the same, nothing has changed,” says Suljo Smajić, a milk producer from Živinice.
The Association of Dairy Farmers of Republika Srpska tells BHRT that there will be no price changes in this entity for the time being. We have also contacted producers from other cantons in the Federation and they are all unanimous in their opinion that dairies are struggling to survive in the current conditions and that an increase in the purchase price is necessary.
“We hope that the FBiH Government and the local and cantonal levels will once and for all understand the importance of agricultural production and, when it comes to a year like this, find a way to mitigate the consequences of such climate change for our producers with joint funds,” adds Glibanović.
An encouragement for producers in the Tuzla Canton is the increase in milk production by three million liters, considering the fact that imports to Bosnia and Herzegovina are on the rise. Due to the disorganized system and inadequate decisions at all levels in BiH, the consequences of price increases are borne by both farmers and citizens.
