site.btaAgriculture Minister: Solidarity with Ukraine Gluts Local Market

"Bulgaria is in solidarity with Ukraine, but a local glut is being created on the agricultural market, because instead of export corridors our countries are becoming warehouses," said caretaker Minister of Agriculture during a meeting with his counterparts from Poland, Romania, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, at the international exhibition Green Week-Berlin 2023. "Three months ago, I warned that the aid we are giving to Ukraine will cost the countries of our region dearly," the Bulgarian minister added. 

The situation in the countries close to the border with Ukraine shows that things are happening that are distorting the market, and not only for sunflowers. Fifteen million tons of Ukrainian wheat have passed through the European markets, according to Gechev.

Currently, Bulgaria has about 5 million tons of wheat, and the amount produced here in 2022 was nearly 6.5 million tons," said Minister Gechev, adding that due to the proximity of the Black Sea to the war, sea transport is practically avoided. In this regard, it is necessary to look for other transport corridors, including the use of rail links, according to him. "Apart from direct aid to Ukraine, we need to think how to regulate these processes," the Bulgarian minister noted.

Minister Gechev went on to say that European solidarity is also needed for the countries represented at the meeting, because competitiveness is disturbed, and the production from third countries does not observe the same environmental standards as what is produced in the European Union.

Everyone at the meeting concurred that unless measures are taken, the situation will continue this year. The ministers decided to raise the issue at the next meeting of the EU Council of Ministers.