BTA :: Subsidies Divert Beneficieries' Attention from Market Competition

Subsidies Divert Beneficieries' Attention from Market Competition - Agriculture Minister

Roumen Yanovski

Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev at Powers Summit, Sofia, November 7, 2023 (BTA Photo)

Sofia,

07.11.2023 18:03

(BTA)

Agriculture Minister Kiril Vatev worries that subsidies divert the attention of beneficiaries away from market competition. The Minister was speaking during the third edition of the Powers Summit forum in Sofia Tuesday. He added that "the truth is in market competition" and also said: "The important thing if who will win consumers' confidence so that they choose their product every day - instead of elbow somebody out of business and evade taxes".

The Minister went on to speak about climate change and the massive floods. "To better adjust, we need to work on long-term climate change forecasts. First and foremost we need to think about drainage of areas affected by the elements and water harvesting and storage. We currently have 0.7% irrigated agriculture," Vatev said. He added that it is important to build a new irrigation systems and provide easy access to it for farmers. Now irrigation is not easily available to farmers and at the same time Bulgaria "irrigates Greece with two rivers and Turkiye with other rivers". "Then we have to do zoning of the soils and see what crops are suitable for these soils," said Vatev.

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