Serbian dairy crisis: farmers block strategic highway for fourth day

In Serbia, protests by dairy farmers continue for the fourth consecutive day, blocking one of the country's most important highways, the Ibar Road. The blockade started on Wednesday near the town of Chachak and is still ongoing. Farmers say that despite their fatigue they will not quit until their demands are met.

The protest was organised by the two main regional organisations, the Chačak Farmers' Association „Šajkača“ and the Šumadija and Pomoravlje Milk Producers' Association.

The protesters stress that the situation in the dairy sector is even worse now than three years ago, when farmers were already on the streets because of low purchase prices.

Farmers are demanding protective duties and quotas on milk and meat imports, as well as anti-dumping measures. They are also calling for a previous level of farm gate prices and guaranteed milk purchases for all producers, regardless of farm size.

The protest is blocking a section of the motorway and traffic is only allowed in exceptional cases, for example for local residents travelling to a cemetery near the blocked section. Despite the blockade lasting several days, no incidents have been reported so far.

The blockade has already been joined by representatives of the farmers' organisation of the Požarevac region, who have announced that they are also planning roadblocks in other parts of the country in the coming days.

Farmers say that the government's reaction so far has been limited to comments in the media and that no direct talks with the protesters have taken place.

President Aleksandar Vucic has stated that a total ban on imports is not possible as it would hurt Serbian exports, but farmers stress that they are not asking for bans – only for protective measures.

The protests are taking place in an economic context where the dairy sector in Serbia has been facing falling farm gate prices and rising production costs for several years. Some farms say they are operating at break-even.

In the last two years, the farm-gate price of milk has fallen by around 20%, while feed and energy costs have increased.

„If nothing changes, some farms will simply close down,– said one of the protest organisers.

Farmers' organisations warn that without market protection and a stable pricing policy, small and medium-sized farms could be forced to close down, which would reduce domestic milk production and further increase import dependency.

Tens of thousands of dairy farms operate in Serbia. The dairy sector is one of the most important in the country's agricultural sector, and roadblocks on strategically important highways can have not only economic but also political effects.

If the protests spread to other regions, they could become one of the biggest farmers' protests in the country in years.