Croatian Chamber of Agriculture threatens protests over systemic failures

The Croatian Chamber of Agriculture (HPK) is demanding systemic changes to the country's agricultural sector, warning of potential protests if concrete improvements are not made. The HPK leadership and livestock sector heads have requested an urgent meeting with the Minister of Agriculture to address issues where current funding is failing to produce results.

HPK President Željko Mihelić stated that producers are not seeking more money for the existing system, but rather structural changes that make production and investment viable. He emphasized that lost producers and closed farms do not return through promises alone, and noted that Croatia should not fund agricultural policies only to remain dependent on food imports it could produce domestically.

The urgency is driven by declining production and rising costs. Data for 2025 indicates a 16.1% drop in slaughtered pigs, a 13.1% decrease in weaned piglets, and a 5% decline in cow milk production, contributing to an overall 2.7% reduction in total livestock production.