Ljubljana - The Slovenian Association of Cooperatives has urged the Agriculture Ministry to meet with them immediately to talk through the government's plan to purchase this year's entire wheat harvest. The association says that harvesting is in full swing and is about to largely end by the end of the week in case of good weather.

The cooperatives want the ministry to present them a timeline of purchases, quality parameters, prices and payment deadlines.

The association's call comes on Monday, three days after the government announced to buy the country's entire wheat production, a move the cooperatives welcomed.

The cooperatives are already buying the harvested wheat and those fully owned by farmers are selling it on due to lack of storage facilities and for farmers to get paid immediately.

As a result, the cooperatives might not be able to sell the anticipated amount of wheat intended for food to the state.

The association learnt about the government's plan to purchase the entire wheat harvest from the media but would like to constructively take part in the effort for the plan to be put into practice to the maximum extent.

Earlier in the day, the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry (KGZS) warned the wheat purchase would be a big logistical challenge while talks on wheat prices had not yet even started.

The Slovenian cereals sales commission said last month that the state should buy all wheat this year as the war in Ukraine halted wheat exports from one of the largest wheat producers.

It said Slovenia would grow 100,000 tonnes of wheat suitable for food in 2022, and proposed that for farmers not to sell below cost, a tonne of the lowest quality wheat should be at least EUR 330 and a tonne of top-quality wheat at least EUR 410.