site.btaAgriculture Ministers of Bulgaria, Moldova Visit Sheep Farm in Pleven Region

Outgoing Agriculture and Food Minister Kiril Vatev and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry of the Republic of Moldova Vladimir Bolea visited a sheep farm in the village of Petarnitsa, Dolni Dabnik Municipality, Pleven Region, on Friday, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food said in a press release. Pleven Regional Governor Violeta Yeremieva and Pleven Mayor Valentin Hristov were also in attendance.

Galina Mircheva, owner of the farm, said that she raises 850 sheep of the Spanish Assaf breed, breeding lambs and producing some 600 litres of milk daily. She showed the officials the premises where the animals are kept. Mircheva said that she and her family founded the company in 2012 and had raised more sheep in the past, but reduced that number in the past year. Mircheva explained that in 2023 she was running at a loss as there was no protective mechanism to control the farm-gate milk price and not enough state support.

Vatev replied that the state cannot sufficiently support every farmer and recommended individual producers to cooperate in order to reduce costs and close the production cycle. He said that only united small producers can withstand competition from large corporations in the industry, both domestic and foreign.

Vladimir Bolea congratulated Mircheva’s work. He said that many sheep and goats are raised in southern Moldova. Bolea promised to come to Mircheva’s company together with producers from Moldova on his next visit to Bulgaria.

Answering a BTA question, Vatev said he would accept becoming caretaker agriculture minister if asked. He noted that agricultural policy should be continuous and not abruptly changed by every successive government.