site.bta CEE-China Relations in Agriculture Are Highly Important - Minister

127 ECONOMY - ROMANIA - CEE - CHINA - AGRICULTURE

CEE-China Relations in
Agriculture Are Highly
Important - Minister


Bucharest/Sofia, October 29 (BTA) - "Bulgaria considers the
further promotion of cooperation in agriculture and food between
the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and China as
highly important," Minister of Agriculture and Food Vassil
Groudev said. He was addressing the 9th forum on agricultural
trade and economic development between China and the CEE
countries taking place in Bucharest, Groudev's Ministry said.
Participating are the agriculture ministers of the CEE countries
and of the People's Republic of China.

The purpose of the "16+1" initiative is promotion of
international cooperation and trade relations between the
countries of the region and China.

The Bulgarian economy and, in particular, the agriculture have a
number of competitive advantages, which make Bulgaria an
attractive investment destination for the Chinese business,
Groudev is also quoted as saying. These include the membership
of the EU, the geographical location and its fiscal system,
promoting investments, he specified. Besides, Bulgaria has
long-term traditions in the field of agrarian science, which can
be used for further promotion of cooperation in the field of
science and technologies.

Groudev presented the condition of the Bulgarian agricultural
sector before the participants in the forum. It accounts for
around 5 per cent of the gross added value of the country's
economy, as the investments in the Bulgarian agriculture have
doubled since the country's accession to the EU.

The export and the balance in farm product trade have marked a
steady growth at traditional surplus. Two-way trade in farm
goods accounts for around 13 per cent of the overall one for the
country as exports have a share of 17 per cent and imports -
around 10 per cent. In the past four years, Bulgaria has been
exporting mostly fresh fruit, wines, animal food, oil-bearing
plants, processed fruit and vegetables to China.

The Bulgarian agriculture possesses potential to meet China's
increasing interest in the import of Bulgarian farm and food
products and, in particular, wines, dairy products, rose oil,
apiary products, etc.

Groudev visited the INDAGRA agrarian exhibition organized in the
sidelines of the forum. It was unveiled by Romanian Prime
Minister Victor Ponta.

In the meantime, the Bulgarian government approved a draft
memorandum of understanding between the Agriculture Ministries
of Bulgaria and China on the establishment of a centre in
Bulgaria on cooperation in the area of agriculture between China
and the countries of Southeastern Europe.