The Fruit and Vegetable Branch Chamber (FVBC) has issued a statement expressing its disapproval of how political entities are addressing issues within the agriculture sector. The organization highlighted its readiness to organize protests should there be further delays in the distribution of crucial aid from the Ukraine 2 sector. This comes after repeated postponements have already occurred.
According to the FVBC, which represents 1,800 member farmers, the sector is facing numerous challenges including a lack of labor, irrigation issues, climate change impacts, competition from heavily subsidized European producers, and bureaucratic hurdles. These challenges are exacerbated by the interim government's inability to fulfill financial commitments.
The chamber referenced a February 12 agreement with the Nikolay Denkov cabinet, promising timely compensation payments and policy measures to avert the current crisis. However, the FVBC has warned of potential protests if the third deadline for Ukraine 2 sector aid is missed.
Similarly, the National Grain Producer Association (NGPA) has expressed dissatisfaction with the government's failure to adhere to the agreed aid payment timelines, in light of the adverse effects of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on the agricultural sector. This dissatisfaction follows a series of farmer protests in early February 2024, which led to the February 12 agreement aiming to prevent widespread bankruptcy in Bulgarian agriculture and ensure sectoral sustainability. Following these protests, the State Fund of Agriculture set a deadline for aid application submissions from March 20 to April 9, 2024, with the first payment disbursed in May and the second scheduled by September 30.
Source: Bulgarian News Agency