site.btaPeaches Increasingly Grown for Processing as Sales Are Guaranteed - Expert

Peaches Increasingly Grown for Processing as Sales Are Guaranteed - Expert

Sliven, Southeastern Bulgaria, July 26 (BTA) - Peaches are increasingly being grown for processing because sales are guaranteed, BTA learned from Kosta Petrov, Chairman of the Bulgarian Peach Association. Nearly 70 per cent of peach orchards in the country's southeast are in Sliven Region. Table varieties account for 70 per cent and the rest are canning varieties.

Petrov added that canning varieties are easier to grow and the region has several canning factories.

Flat peaches, also called Saturn or donut peaches, which are sweeter than the everyday variety and have a stronger flavour, are becoming a fashionable culinary accessory. The traditional varieties grown in Bulgaria are Red Haven, Glow Heaven and Cardinal, which are resistant to low temperatures and late hoar frost.

This year peach harvesting began around June 15. "Producers expect the table varieties crop to be about 80 per cent lower, with smaller fruits than last year's," said Petrov.

Canning peach prices are expected to start at 0.25 euro cents per kilo. Greek imports have brought prices in Bulgaria down to normal levels. Greek producers sold large amounts of fruits in this country and Romania after losing some ground in Ukraine and Russia to Spain.

Petrov said that seeing Bulgaria's bumper apricot harvest, Romanian traders will start buying peaches once apricots are no longer on sale.

Bulgarian producers should export their products north of Romania, to Poland and the Baltic countries, according to Petrov.

The Agriculture Ministry has provided sizable support to peach producers in the last two years, he said. However, they consider the de minimis subsidy for fruit and vegetable production too small compared to other sectors.