site.bta16+1 Logistical Centre and E-Trade Pavilion Opens Near Plovdiv

Plovdiv, Southern Bulgaria, November 24 (BTA) - The first logistical centre and a pavilion for e-trade in agricultural produce between China and Central and East European (CEE) countries opened in the Trakia Economic Zone near the southern city of Plovdiv Friday. The new facility will aim to promote trade in what is known as the 16+1 format.

The Investments in the Pavilion 16+1 are mainly Chinese. More than 100 companies are expected to open warehouses with each investmet standing at around 500,000 euro.

Attending the opening event were Deputy Agriculture Minister Lozana Vassilev and Deputy Transport Minister Dimiter Genovski.

Genovski said that the arrival of Chinese investments will bring about the development of transport infrastructure, which at some stage in the future will become a part of the new Silk Road.

According to Economy Ministry data, the bulk of recent Chinese investment in Bulgaria has been in agriculture, the food industry, essential oils, cosmetics, wine and mineral water.

The 16+1 project for a logistical centre and a pavilion for e-trade in agricultural produce among China and the CEE countries results from a meeting of the Agriculture Ministers of China and the CEE countries in Ljubljana, Slovenia, in August.