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“Today more than BGN 518 million will be transferred to over 51 000 farmers under the single area payment scheme”, said Minister of Agriculture and Food Desislava Taneva at a meeting of fruit and vegetables producers with the representatives of supermarket chains and processing plants. She reported that the area payment amounts to BGN 16.20 l per acre. Minister Taneva stressed that tomorrow an additional payment of BGN 29, 5 mln. will be paid to 5835 beneficiaries for national transitional financial assistance for cattle decoupled  from production and noted that other rates for livestock breeders were paid yet at the end of last year.

 

"The whole European Union pays EUR 200 million coupled support for the fruits and vegetables sector out of which EUR 40 mln is provided to Bulgaria. The biggest support package for direct payments is precisely for this sector, "highlighted minister. She was clear that the biggest challenge is to create producer organizations. "These organizations would bring to the market products with the required quality and quantity to meet market demand. Regardless of the amount of aid we provide, if associations of producer groups don't start function, this won't lead to the increase in the amount of income of the producers, "said Taneva. She added that the for and focus of the different measures under the  direct payments campaign in 2016 will give a positive result, but to achieve better market share, manufacturers must unite in associations.

 

Currently, at about 9000 are producers of fruits and vegetables, along with greenhouse producers. But there are only 12 organized groups of organizations with 48 members who fulfill their investment programs and have received the support.

 

Desislava Taneva noted that the Ministry of Agriculture and Food will provide the necessary expert assistance in order more producer organizations to be recognized. She added that in the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 there are two measures stimulating associations and short supply chains - Measure 9 "Establishment of groups and producer organizations" and Sub-measure 16.4 " Support for horizontal and vertical co-operation among supply chain actors for the establishment and development of short supply chains and local markets. "

 

“We envisage the acceptance under these two measures to start in 2017. They aim to motivate farmers to associate, but not in another professional organization, but an organization of manufacturers, who themselves will decide what to produce and how to positioned themselves on the market. This is a challenge for the whole community, "stated Taneva.

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