Bulgaria Newsflash Week 17

Millions for investments in farms for precision and environment-friendly farming; Bulgarian grapes reached French prices selling their wine stocks; only a quarter of the apples in Bulgaria are locally produced; cosmetics from an endemic herb turns is a hit: enjoy the Bulgaria Agri News Week 17, 2021

farm

BGN 422 for projects in farm investments

The Ministry of Agriculture said it has started accepting project proposals for investment in farms for a total of BGN 422,218,104 from the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. Projects for precision and environment-friendly farming will be prioritized, as well as investment in the sensitive sectors of fruit and vegetables; animal husbandry; and oil-bearing and medicinal crops. The procedure aims to attract projects for investment in the introduction of new products, processes and modernization of production. Priority will be given to innovative and digital farming technologies, and project automation.

Piglets
Beeld: @Unsplash - Marek Piwnicki

All industrial pig farms in Bulgaria can to export pork to the EU

The European Commission has eased the restrictions on the production of, and trade in pigs and pork, in 20 municipalities of nine Bulgarian regions where some of the largest pig farms are located. Based on the great results in fighting African swine fever (ASF) in 2019 and 2020, which were assessed positively by the EC's audits, the BFSA has presented to the Commission its view that the current principles of regionalization should no longer apply to the affected regions. This is the second easing of restrictions in a month. In March, the European Commission eased the restrictions in five Bulgarian regions. Communication between the BFSA and the EC continues regarding the other areas to which ASF regionalization still applies. Source: BTA Daily

grapes

Bulgarian grapes reach French prices

In 2020, Bulgarian grape reached a price that was on a par with those in Germany and France, Krassimir Koev, Executive Director of the Vine and Wine Agency, said in an interview on Bloomberg TV Bulgaria. The good price levels were due to the COVID pandemic, where Bulgarian growers were able to sell their produce despite the health crisis. Exports of local produce tripled. “During the first lockdown, the wine making leaders – France, Spain and Italy, shut down and large batches of Bulgarian wine headed for the commercial outlets,” explained Koev. That freed up volumes in the barrels of Bulgarian wine makers and helped with the 2020 harvest. French and German wine producers used funding under a measure for distilling surplus wine into hand sanitizer but Bulgarian producers rejected that option and managed to sell their wine stocks.

Apples

A quarter of the apples on Bulgaria’s market are local

Only 26% of the apples on the Bulgarian market are locally grown and the rest is imported, according to a report by the State Commission for Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets. 73% of the bread, 70% of meat and 69% of dairy products are locally made. At the same time, a mere 36% of tomatoes, which is a traditional crop in Bulgaria, are grown domestically and the rest is imported from Turkey, Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. The situation is only slightly better with cucumbers and the ratio of local to imported produce is 55% to 45%. On the backdrop of potato growers complaints that they can meet full domestic needs but are unable to sell their produce, an impressive 55% of potatoes are imported.

Cosmetics

Bulgarian-made cosmetics from an endemic herb turns into US best-seller 

The million-years-old Orpheus flower (Haberlea rhodopensis) grows in southern Bulgaria’s Rhodope mountains and is known for its amazing ability to survive long months without water and spring back to life even after being pressed. Interest in the plant and its regeneration capacity drove a Bulgarian entrepreneur to create a cosmetic line with habarlea extract with the brand name Orpheus, Capital weekly reports. The cosmetic line is made and sold in the US and has risen to best-seller status after it was included in the gifts selection of Forbes and a rating of best anti-age serums, and received several international awards. The project of Sarah Kyurkichieva – founder, creator and manager of the Orpheus brand – was funded by her family’s company, Ficosota, and is projected to make sales for over BGN 1 million this year. The Orpheus line uses fully recyclable glass containers made in Italy by Lumson with its patented airglass technology.