"Bulgaria is in solidarity with Ukraine, but a local glut is being created on the agricultural market, because instead of export corridors our countries are becoming warehouses, “said Minister of Agriculture Yavor Gechev during a meeting with his counterparts from Poland, Romania, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, at the international exhibition Green Week-Berlin 2023.
The situation in the countries near the border with Ukraine shows that things are happening that are distorting the market not only for sunflower production. "15 million tons of Ukrainian wheat has passed through the European markets.
“At the moment, there is about 5 million tons of wheat in Bulgaria, and the amount harvested in 2022 in our country was close to 6.5 million tons," added Minister Gechev. He also informed that due to the proximity of the Black Sea to the war, sea transport is practically avoided. In this regard, it is necessary to look for other transport corridors, including the use of railway connections. "Besides direct aid to Ukraine, we need to think about how to regulate these processes", noted the Bulgarian minister.
“Our countries as well are in need for European solidarity, because competitiveness is impaired. However, the production that enters from third countries is not produced according to the same environmental standards as that in the European Union", Gechev was categorical.
Everybody at the meeting was united around the opinion that unless measures are taken, the situation will continue this year. The ministers agreed the issue to be raised during the next meeting of the EU Council of Ministers.