site.btaDeputy Agriculture Minister Meets with Cherry Farmers Protesting against Low Buy-out Prices

Sofia, June 5 (BTA) - Deputy Agriculture, Food and Forestry Minister Tsvetan Dimitrov met Tuesday with cherry producers from the southern regions of Stara Zagora and Kazanluk who blocked the Trakia motorway, his ministry said. The protest comes in the wake of the low buy-out prices this year.

In response to the demands, Dimitrov explained that the "de minimis" principle applies only when value, not loss of profit, is compensated. The process is being monitored and calculations have been made by the competent research authorities. The price for those who have covered the full agricultural programme is about 600 leva, including 272 leva from the State or about 44 per cent," the ministry's press release said. Otherwise, the State has tools to regulate the market.

There is no excess production of cherries in the country but cherry orchards have increased by 1,200 ha, Dimitrov said. About 20 per cent of the producers do not have contracts with buyers, but Bulgaria annually exports 2,000 tonnes of cherries, mainly to Romania, Germany and Italy.

Later in the day, Dimitrov met with one of the major cherry processors and discussed the trends in the purchase of the fruit in Europe and the world. He was assured that the quantity of cherries to be bought out this year exceeds the one in 2017 by 20 per cent.