25.02.2009

In connection with a special mission – review of the state of Bulgarian agriculture, organized by the World Bank /WB/, today in the Central Bank office situated in the building of the World Trade Center in Sofia, was held a meeting between its representatives, including operational analyst from its office in Bucharest, Romania and representatives of the Bulgarian Farmers Association /BAF/.

Bulgarian side in the meeting was attended by the President of BAF Dr. St.. STEFANOV and its General Secretary engineer Teodor Ivanov. They acquainted the leadership of the bank with the actual state of Bulgarian agriculture in the area of grain production, production of fruit and vegetables, livestock and other agricultural sub-sector. Clearly have been pointed the problems in the sector, related not only to the production but also to the purchase, processing and marketing of agricultural produce. Serious attention was paid to the shortcomings associated with the assimilation of resources of EU funds, respectively, the delayed subsidies payment, uncontrolled imports of agricultural products, including from outside the EU, national surcharge against the backdrop of the contract lower subsidies from the EU compared with farmers in the EU-15, which all leading to lower of the competitive power of Bulgarian farmers at domestic, European and world markets.

At the end of the conversation the representatives of the WB, expressed their gratitude for the detailed information and reassured BAF representatives that the information will be used only to improve the state of Bulgarian agriculture, farmers and it agro businessmen in order to their successfully adapt to the Common agricultural policy of the European Union.