site.btaAgriculture Minister Discusses Licensing Regime on Export with Ukrainian Counterpart

Agriculture and Food Minister Kiril Vatev discussed  the operation of the licensing regime introduced by the Ukrainian side for the export of sunflower seeds, rapeseed, corn and wheat with his Ukrainian Counterpart Mykola Solski during an online meeting on Thursday, the press centre of the Agriculture Ministry said.

At the meeting, Vatev presented data on imports of rapeseed, corn and sunflower in Bulgaria for the period December - beginning of January. It said that isolated cases of attempts to circumvent the licensing regime by importing black oilseed sunflower, rapeseed and maize for sowing had been detected.

Solski said that the Ukrainian side will take action against these practices within two weeks and companies that violate the licensing regime will lose their right to export.

Vatev stressed that in recent weeks there has been increased imports of sunflower by barge on the Danube. He warned his Ukrainian counterpart that if this pace of imports continues, the limit needed to meet the needs of Bulgarian processors will be reached. This would consequently lead to the cessation of imports with the aim of selling the sunflower of Bulgarian origin.

The two ministers agreed to meet soon and to continue exchanging data on trade in sensitive agricultural products.

Ukraine introduced a regime for issuing export licences for Bulgaria for wheat, corn, sunflower and rapeseed on December 4, 2023, after the agriculture ministers of the two countries agreed on the details of its implementation. The regime is informative and does not interfere with commercial transactions between buyers and sellers.