Citizens of the panic kap for flour

Hamdi Yupoli, 62-year-old from Pristina, on Sunday, February 27th, obtained 100kg of flour in one of the flour factories in the town of Podujevo. And he wasn't the only one.

There were long columns of cars in the mill waiting to be supplied with flour. I'm also afraid of war, but also because of the lack of this product in the market and the ups and ups and ups and downs, he tells Radio Free Europe.

Buying and creating food products reserves is a phenomenon that is manifesting fears and panic created in some Kosovo citizens after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The flour seems to be the most popular product. There is an empty appearance in the window of some stores where the product is sold.

Yupoli, who works at the Kosovo Statistics Agency, expects there to be an increase in the price of products due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Even Miradije Ukshi, over the 60s, who live with her two children in a Pristina neighbourhood, says she has bought flour, oil and sugar as a longer reserve.

I bought 25 kilos of flour, 16 euros cost. I don't know how long it was earlier because I constantly bought only 5 kilos. I booked them because I'm afraid of the war. We have experienced it once, and the situation there [in Ukraine] has aroused fear. Even the price is saying it's going to grow”, Ukshi says.

Meanwhile, Hazbija, a accountant by profession, is waiting to receive his salary for this month so that he can buy food to store it.

Tomorrow, March 1, I'm hoping to go out and buy two bags of flour, oil... some other stuff I've got. Yes, there will be price hikes, but even war... I am very afraid because Kosovo is not a member of NATO”, she points out.

The large demand for flour in the last two days also speaks from the flour factory “Gronor” in Skenderaj, but citizens of Dragashi as well.

Musa Gashi, owner of the “Gronnor” factory, in a conversation with Radio Free Europe said the situation is currently calmer and there are no major demands. He adds that his factory has enough flour for the citizens of the Sculered region until the wheat harvest campaign in July.

We are co-operating with the bread ovens so we can provide them with flour so that no unnecessary panic arises among citizens”, Gashi says.

“No need to panic”

The chairman of the Kosovo Mills Association, Bashkim Zejnullahu, considers there is no need for panic, as according to him, Kosovo is not dependent on Ukraine on this product.

Zejnullahu owns the flour factory “Thesari” in the Kllokot municipality. According to him, 100kg of flour is sold for 44 euros and currently does not have any price hikes.

“This is just a euphoria of citizens that should provide flour”, he points out.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development data, last year 68,000 hectares of land have been cultivated with wheat culture. With this amount, according to the ministry, Kosovo can meet 65 percent of the population's food needs.

The rest are imported by different states of the region and the European Union. For just two years, from various countries in the region and Europe, Kosovo has imported flour and wheat worth over 63.5m euros. Serbia, Hungary, Croatia and Austria are the countries that have imported larger amounts of wheat and flour last year to Kosovo.

During 2020, Kosovo has imported flour and wheat from Ukraine, worth 28,000 euros, confirmed by Kosovo Customs. Meanwhile, there is no record of imports from Ukraine for 2021.

Ukraine is estimated to be one of the largest flour exporters in the world.

Minister of Industry, Intervention and Trade Roseta Hajdari said on February 26th that “millers and wheat growers have provided Government” with supplies and that “for three months to six months our population does not need to worry”.

She added that in case of need, Kosovo has channels abroad and can secure additional reserves.