Rice Harvest Begins in Kočani — 16,000 Tonnes of White Rice Expected
Subsidies scaled by farm size, purchasing starts 1 October. Farmers are also asking to import their own crop products.
With the traditional sickle-harvest of the first rice stalks, the rice harvest has begun in the Kočani region. About 4,000 hectares are under rice cultivation there this year.
Government subsidies for this year's crop are set by farm size: growers with up to 2.5 hectares get 3.5 denars for every kilogram of unprocessed rice sold at purchasing points; up to five hectares — 2 denars; up to 7.5 hectares — 1.5 denars; and up to 10 hectares — 1 denar. Buyers get a 2-denar subsidy for every kilogram of exported white rice. The measures apply from 1 October, when official purchasing begins.
This year's expected yield is about 16,000 tonnes of white rice, 9,000 tonnes earmarked for export and 7,000 for the domestic market. Meanwhile, some farmers are asking the government for permission to import their own crop-protection products directly, saying it would cut costs for the coming two-month harvest.
Rice growers note that some of the previous two years' harvest remains unprocessed in storage — and are separately requesting subsidised diesel to reduce costs for the harvest itself.
MKNews Hub · Economy · September 21, 2026