Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Miroslav Naydenov held a meeting late yesterday in Razgrad with representatives of the National Association of Tobacco Growers. He informed that last week the Agriculture Fund managed to pay in advance national additional payments to tobacco growers, pointing out that this happened not without some difficulties in obtaining the necessary funds which were not budgeted for the first half of the year. At the same time, he reminded that the second tranche of funds will be disbursed by the end of August, as it was signed in the agreement with the national association.
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Tzvetan Dimitrov and Executive Director of the Agriculture Fund Rumen Porozhanov attended the meeting
Prime Minister Borisov said that currently the funds for the sector are found in terms of the severe financial crisis and assured that BGN 73 million will be secured in next year's budget for support under the national additional payments for tobacco growers. But he clearly stated further that rendering this assistance is related to sector restructuring. He recommended the tobacco growers to orient in time to activity restructuration and towards the production of other crops, or employment in other sectors. Borisov said further that in the region of northeastern Bulgaria has many favorable conditions for developing a successful business in the field of horticulture, and livestock breeding.
President of the National Association of tobacco growers Tzvetan Filev said on behalf of the over 12,000 members of association in northeastern Bulgaria, that they are satisfied with what was achieved within only 6 months after the establishment of the association, as well as with the successful implementation of the agreement with the government and hoped the dialogue to continue in the future.