site.btaAgriculture Minister: Unprecedented Support for Agriculture to Keep Food Prices at Bay

Agriculture Minister Ivan Ivanov started an initiative to conduct a series of regional meetings with farmers to discuss the issues and needs in the sector, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday. Currently, the government allocates an unprecedented amount of money to support the sector, Ivanov stressed at a briefing, following a discussion with farmers from the coastal region of Burgas.

“The talks in Burgas were very fruitful”, Ivanov said. The Agriculture Minister stated that it is entirely possible for an additional amount of 200 million leva to be distributed as state aid and EU funding until end-2022. Thus, farmers will be compensated for the losses they have incurred due to the high prices of fertilizers, preparations, and fuels, Ivanov said. “This will also maintain food prices, which is an another key part of the state policy”, he added.

Wheat will be stored by producers or traders, who will be paid storage rent, Ivanov pointed out. In his words, Bulgaria has enough grain storage facilities to store both the wheat in stock and the new harvest. Ivanov recalled that this measure was taken to secure the State reserves and keep the current bread prices.