site.btaBulgaria Expected to Suffer Considerable Losses from Russia Embargo

Bulgaria Expected to Suffer Considerable Losses  from Russia Embargo


Sofia, September 3 (BTA) - The government on Wednesday endorsed
Bulgaria's position for an extraordinary European Agriculture
and Fisheries Council in Brussels on September 5. The Council is
 expected to discuss measures in the wake of Russia's ban on EU
agricultural imports.

Bulgaria is expected to suffer considerable direct and indirect
losses from the embargo despite the relatively small share of
produce, banned by Russia, of Bulgaria's agricultural exports.
Vegetable and fruit growing and dairy will be worst affected by
the embargo. In this respect although Bulgaria welcomes
temporary measures in support of vegetable and fruit growers, it
 believes that EU aid outside apples and pears should be
increased, tapping contingency reserves.

The dairy sector is also set to suffer losses. The smaller
market will bring down milk purchase prices, which will have an
adverse effect on an already sensitive sector. Measures included
 in the safety net over the dairy sector are inapplicable to
Bulgaria, so Bulgaria urges that the lessons of the 2009 crisis
in the dairy sector be tapped and direct support is paid to
dairy farmers in compensation for incurred losses. SN/PP

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