Farmers and livestock breeders protest today in Topolčani: purchase prices below cost, subsidies delayed

A protest by farmers and livestock breeders will be held today, September 30, at 11:00 in Topolčani, Prilep, as the portal 48chasa.mk reports. The party Levica gave the protest its full support, accusing the government of a deep crisis in agriculture and failed agronomic policies.

According to figures presented by Levica, in the first quarter of 2026 purchases from individual producers fell by 46.2 percent, while in August production inputs were 7 percent more expensive than in the same period last year — a combination that, according to the party, is pushing producers toward bankruptcy.

The freshest example comes from the Strumica fields: for first-class peppers a price of 40 denars per kilogram had been “agreed”, but buyers in the field offered only 15–20 denars. Meanwhile, in Pelagonia part of the harvest is rotting in the fields for lack of buyers, while the purchase price of milk has fallen from around 33 to 23 denars per liter. Premiums and subsidies, according to Levica, have been delayed for months.

The situation is worsened by the goat and sheep pox crisis: from a single outbreak in January, the disease spread to 64 outbreaks, with more than 10,000 animals dead or slaughtered. Levica accuses the state of waiting for donations from abroad instead of ensuring vaccination in time.

At today’s protest, farmers and livestock breeders are expected to present their concrete demands. Levica has invited Agriculture Minister Borče Serafimovski to come to Topolčani and hear the protesters directly: “If he has the courage, let him stand before them, look them in the eye and explain to them how one survives with purchase prices below the cost of production, unpaid subsidies and harvests rotting in the fields”, 48chasa.mk quotes.