Speaking at the EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Luxembourg, Bulgarian caretaker Agriculture and Food Minister Ivan Hristanov stated that the lack of crisis funding forces Bulgarian farmers into a difficult choice between reduced yields and elevated prices. Hristanov highlighted that escalating costs for fertilizers and fuels, stemming from the Middle East conflict, present a major challenge for EU producers. In Bulgaria, diesel fuel prices increased by approximately 37% between February and early April, while mineral fertilizer costs rose by about 30%.
These cost increases coincide with the crucial spring sowing period, negatively impacting production costs and the competitiveness of the national agriculture sector. The minister also addressed market vulnerabilities, noting that the domestic milk purchase price has declined to EUR 0.27 despite rising operational costs. Bulgaria advocates for the full utilization of instruments under the Common Market Organisation, including the agricultural reserve and measures for temporary voluntary production reduction.
A central Bulgarian position is that unused funds from Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) interventions must be immediately available for emergency support during periods of production cost shocks. Regarding the future of the CAP, Hristanov argued that any degressive reduction in support must not undermine competitiveness. He contended that proposed thresholds are insufficiently high, potentially harming small and medium-sized farmers crucial for food security.
Furthermore, he stressed the need for full external convergence of direct payments. On sustainability, Hristanov called for integrated, preventive approaches to wildfire management in forestry, citing practices such as agroforestry and extensive grazing.
Topics: #agriculture #bulgarian #hristanov
