The State will protect agricultural producers whenever there are reports of pressure and unfair practices that hinder their operations. This is what the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Plamen Abrovsky stated during a meeting with representatives of the Fruits and Vegetables Branch Chamber . Deputy Ministers Yanislav Yanchev, Prof. Krum Nedelkov, and Krasimir Chakarov also attended the meeting.
Addressing recent media reports claiming that retail chains, Minister Abrovsky, are extorting farmers clarified that he expects to receive information that is more specific. He noted that institutions could only provide effective support when they have concrete reports and facts. "When you have a problem, come and state it, and the entire state will stand behind you. But if there is only talk that someone, somewhere, is being subjected to pressure without pointing to specific cases, we cannot protect you," Minister Abrovsky stated. He emphasized the necessity of an active dialogue with branch organizations to clearly identify and resolve the sector's problems.
The Agriculture Minister highlighted that establishing cooperatives could contribute to better market realization of produce by ensuring the necessary volume and quality. Plamen Abrovsky also noted that there are no legal obstacles to forming cooperatives; the core issue remains the producers' willingness to unite.
In turn, industry representatives insisted on a fairer distribution of support funds between the "Fruits and Vegetables" and "Livestock" sectors. They emphasized the need to create a permanent crop register to better structure the sector and direct support to bona fide producers, alongside the implementation of measures to restore the liquidity of agricultural holdings.
Irrigation of agricultural land was also among the main topics of discussion. Minister Abrovsky announced that there is strong coordination with the Ministry of Environment and Water on this issue, and efforts are underway to reduce administrative hurdles for farmers. The attendees also examined opportunities for greater flexibility regarding one-day employment contracts.
Regarding the permanent crop register, Minister Plamen Abrovsky said that a legislative initiative is currently being drafted.
By the conclusion of the meeting, Minister Abrovsky had not received any concrete details regarding the allegations of pressure exerted by retail chains on agricultural producers.