Government has no money for drought stricken Croatian farmers
2012-08-22 14:53:38
Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic has told farmers in drought stricken areas that they need to help themselves as the state has no money to fund those who have had their crops damaged in the current drought.
Milanovic, who was visiting the Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia, where a state of natural disaster has been decleared, says that farmers need to help themselves and bring order into their systems as the government has no money, writes daily newspaper Jutarnji list.
"In 10 years we have done nothing as far as irrigation goes, considering that currently in Croatia there is 18,000 hectares of irrigated land (0.5 per cent of total agricultural land), and nine years ago there was 9,000 hectares. At the moment I can not make any promises that the government will reimburse any farmers as the state has no money," said Milanovic.
The goverment says that damage done by the current drought would have been alot less if irrigation systems were in place and now plan to invest in that department.
"This year we will set aside 100 million kuna (13 million Euros) for irrigation, of which 30 million kuna (4 million Euros) will be from regular resources and we will add the other 70 million (9 million Euros). There will be an intensive plan from the government with regards to irrigation and we believe that by 2020 we will achieve our plan of having 100,000 hectares of irrigated land," said Minister of Agriculture Tihomir Jakovina.