site.btaAgriculture Minister Taneva Meets with German Food Ministry State Secretary Kloos

Agriculture Minister Taneva Meets with German Food Ministry State Secretary Kloos

Sofia, April 7 (BTA) - "We should restore access for European farmers to the market in Russia," said Agriculture Minister Dessislava Taneva, meeting here on Wednesday with Robert Kloos, Permanent State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture.

Taneva said that farmers need access to the Russian market as it can't be compensated for by third countries. Since 2014 milk prices have edged down, with Bulgarian producers reporting a decrease of nearly 20 per cent.

The two discussed the crisis in the milk sector and an upcoming EU agriculture council in June. Taneva urged for a stepped up bilateral exchange ahead of it. In her words, if raw milk output is maintained, new markets should be found.

The Agriculture Minister said that Bulgarian and European farmers lack liquid money.
She said that countries with an excess production of milk should be approached to impose restrictions.

Kloos said that the Russian market is valuable but access to it won't be restored soon. He said that the EU should extend a new package of financial support to farmers. "We should help farmers to outlast this period," he said.