Farmers from the Federation held an unusual protest in downtown Sarajevo on Thursday, handing out free food to local residents in a bid to draw attention to government neglect of agriculture.
The free handout was the work of the Union of Agricultural Associations in Bosnia’s Federation entity.
Farmers say they are struggling to survive, unsupported by the authorities, impeded by a hostile business environment and beleaguered by a flood of imports of cheaper fruits and vegetables from abroad.
“I am more sad than satisfied. I would prefer these people to buy these products in supermarkets,” Avdo Muslimovic, from the farmers union, said, commenting on the massive turnout, especially by pensioners….
Muslimovic said supermarkets across Bosnia are full of imported products while the authorities do nothing to support domestic production.
He said that farmers in the Federation had not received subsidies either for last year or for the current year – and they need the money in order to maintain production.
