site.btaBulgarian Bread Wheat Exported to Far East, North Africa

In recent months, Bulgarian bread wheat has been exported to Thailand, Jordan, Egypt and other countries in the Far East and North Africa.

"The whole sector, however, is in a difficult and even dangerous situation because of the drought that has had a disastrous impact on the maize and sunflower crops, compounded by probably the highest production costs and, on top of it all, low purchasing prices," said Bulgarian Farmers Union (BFU) Board member Preslav Borissov who, together with BFU President Georgi Stoyanov showed the loading of wheat at the Port of Varna on a ship bound for Indonesia.   

"Regardless of the export that is taking place, buyers are difficult to find because consumption has shrank internationally and prices are very low. If deals are still made for bread wheat, this is virtually impossible for feed wheat. The situation with sunflower is just as bad despite a memorandum signed with Government after the farmers' protest. Substantial quantities are imported that are documented as originating from Romania but quite a few farmers claim that in reality they come from Ukraine," Stoyanov explained.

Borisov said that the sector can rise to the challenges if it cuts production costs, improves the quality of its produce and, most importantly, gains a steady presence on export markets, offering cereals that are competitive in every aspect.