site.btaPeach Crop Is of High Quality, but Hard to Sell

Peach Crop Is of High Quality, but Hard to Sell

Sliven, Southeastern Bulgaria, July 30 (BTA) - This year's peach
 crop is of very high quality but is hard to sell, said Kosta
Petrov of Sliven's Bulgarian Peach Association in a BTA
interview. Nearly 70 per cent of peach crops in Southeastern
Bulgaria are located in the region of Sliven. Of these 70 per
cent are eating varieties and 30 per cent are canning varieties.

The average yield of canning peaches in the region is some 20-25
 tonnes per hectare, while farmers of eating peaches expect a
yield of 20 tonnes per hectare.

Farmers are unhappy with the purchase prices, said Kosta Petrov.
 He said that with Russia and Ukraine out of the market and
competition from Greece and Romania the prices are lower than
expected.

This year canning peaches sell at 0.50/0.60 lv/kg pre-VAT, while
 eating peaches vary between 0.40/0.60 lv/kg.

According to Petrov, canning peaches prices are expected to
increase before the end of harvest, while eating peaches are
unsaleable because the market is flooded. He said that this year
 there is a high demand for the donut peach, which has a good
taste qualities and sell at 2.50 lv/kg.

Petrov was adamant that this year's crop will be difficult to
sell. With the Russian market off limits, farmers are trying to
sell their produce in Poland and Austria. There is also demand
in Austria for plums, dessert grapes and cherries.

Petrov said it was high time for farmers to seek foreign
markers, In his words, Poland and the Baltic States are suitable
 markets, because they are far from the competition of Spain and
 Italy.