Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Miroslav Naydenov and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Israel Orit Noked have discussed the possibility for Bulgaria to become a Regional center for food production. This became clear at the meeting in the Council of Ministers during a joint sitting of the Governments of Bulgaria and Israel.
The project envisages our country to provide fertile state lands while Israel to provide the financial resource and high technology. Then the two countries to realize the produce for own needs and the surplus to be directed to the Organization for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Program. The two countries have negotiated bilateral working groups to develop details for the realization of the idea until autumn.
Separately, Minister Naydenov introduced 15 Bulgarian projects amounted to EUR 390 million in field of agriculture and hydrometeorology in which the business of Israel will make investments. The Israel delegation proposed to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Svetlana Boyanova to introduce the projects during a visit to Israel in the next two weeks.
During the sitting one of the main topics for discussion was bilateral cooperation in field of agriculture and creation of food bank.
Today both Ministers have signed Joint Declaration on Agricultural Cooperation.