The Slovenian humanitarian organisations Karitas and Red Cross at the occasion of today's Food Day, and tomorrow's World Poverty Day, warned of the problem of food shortage, and other social distress in Slovenia. In Slovenia Karitas annually helps more than 125,502 individuals in distress, and Red Cross last year gave food aid to 156,442 socially endangered individuals.

The state, i.e. the Ministry of Agriculture, participated in distributing food to those in need of help; they distributed a part of the excess Slovenian food resulting from the Russian embargo. Until now one third of the Slovenian food export to Russia has been affected.

Food in the approximate value of several thousand euros was thus distributed to humanitarian workers. The producers make arrangements directly with humanitarian organisations, while the state pays them a market withdrawal support – which is one of the measures by the EU. The food which can't be sold is reprocessed or even destroyed, while as much surplus food as possible should be directed to humanitarian organisations.

Gregor Cerar, MMC
Translated by G. K.