site.btaAgriculture Minister Opens Yes to Bulgarian Food Christmas Forum

The 19th national forum of the Yes! To Bulgarian Food campaign was held in Sofia on Tuesday. The forum was organized by the Standard media outlet in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the Ministry of Economy and Industry, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, the Commission for Consumer Protection, the National Trade Union of Bakers and Confectioners, the Association of Meat Processors in Bulgaria, the Association of Dairy Processors in Bulgaria, and the National Vine and Wine Chamber.

Outgoing Agriculture Minister Georgi Tahov cited as an indisputable success of his team the fact that over 11 months it managed to open 21 interventions in the State Fund Agriculture, while in the past three years not a single one had been opened. Tahov described dialogue as the greatest strength of the ministry’s team. “We believe that with the right policies, modernization, financial discipline, and active dialogue, we can ensure development that benefits all consumers and producers, as well as the state,” Tahov said.

The Executive Director of Irrigation Systems, Snezhina Dineva, said they are closing an extremely successful year. She noted that they had completed the rehabilitation of the company’s first 25 projects under the Rural Development Program, which happened for the first time since the facilities were constructed. Over 89 kilometers of main irrigation canals have been rehabilitated and restored, Dineva added.

Over the past five years, raw milk production in Bulgaria fell by 25%, Chair of the National Union of Cattle Breeders in Bulgaria Dimitar Zorov said. He added that Bulgaria should not be a bystander and should take an active part in decision-making and the biggest challenge for the sector next year would be to keep milk output at current levels and to retain the livestock farmers who produced it.