Farmers demand prompt flood damage compensation
Ljubljana, 23 August - The Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry (KGZS) would like the government to declare the recent flooding a natural disaster as soon as possible so that farmers can submit damage claims, KGZS head Janez Pirc told the press on Wednesday. He said a major challenge is supplying fodder to farmers in affected areas.
Slovenia
Roads destroyed by floods.
Photo: Goran Krošelj/Slovenian Armed Forces
More than two weeks after the devastating floods and landslides, the KGZS is conducting preliminary damage assessment in municipalities and for individual types of produce.
The assessment will be handed over to the Administration for Civil Protection and Disaster Relief, Pirc said.
The chamber would like the government to declare the floods a natural disaster as soon as possible, so farmers can submit damage claims in line with the Natural Disaster Recovery Act, he said.
The biggest challenge in the floods-affected areas at the moment is insufficient supply of fodder, drinking water and electricity. Many farms are still inaccessible by road.
To address the problem with fodder, an online app has been launched to link those who can donate fodder with those who need it. "We expect the farmers who lost fodder to thus have enough fodder for their animals to get through the winter and beyond," Pirc said.
The app also enables farmers to ask for help with cleaning and other farm work.
There is no exact estimate as to how many farmers still urgently need fodder. So far, more than 300 people registered with the app. A third or a quarter of them stated they need fodder, while the rest offer it, Pirc said.
He thinks it will be crucial to connect the farmers who live close to minimize transport costs.
As for potential soil pollution, the Environment Agency has already analysed a few samples. The KGZS offered to help with the samples but is still waiting for a government decision. It called for testing of farm land to enable the planing of future measures.