Bulgaria is a leader in agricultural exports to China among Central and Eastern European countries. This is what Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr Georgi Tahov said at a meeting of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food with Du Jiahao - Chairperson of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the People's Republic of China. The Minister noted that in 2023, the value of agricultural exports has doubled compared to 2022, with the largest contributors being the significantly increased supply of maize and sunflower. "In 2023, trade in agricultural and food commodities between Bulgaria and China was worth USD 640.6 M, nearly 38% above the level in 2022. About 47% of Bulgaria's total exports to China are agricultural and food commodities. Agricultural imports from China have declined by 40%, mainly due to lower supplies of inedible fats and rice," the Minister of Agriculture said.
Dr Georgi Tahov pointed out that the traditionally good cooperation between Bulgaria and China in the field of agriculture and food is developing very actively and is constantly expanding. In his words, this is happening on the principle of equal partnership between the two countries.
"In recent years, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency, in cooperation with the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC), have been working intensively to complete the procedures to meet the requirements for importing a number of Bulgarian agricultural and food products into China. At the moment we have 38 such procedures initiated, 11 of which have already been completed with the signing of the respective protocols and bilateral approval of the respective certificates," he added.
During the meeting, Minister Tahov expressed hope that China would approve the export procedures for Bulgarian wheat and fresh fruit, as top priority. The Chinese competent authority is expected to carry out a risk analysis on them.
In turn, Du Jiahao said that, the positive values that China and Bulgaria recorded in the exchange of agricultural goods show the trust between the two countries, and China will continue to encourage the expansion of investment in Bulgaria.
The meeting was also attended by: Deputy Ministers of Agriculture and Food Yanislav Yanchev and Dr Lozana Vasileva, Vice-Chairperson of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the People's Republic of China - Wang Gang, as well as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Bulgaria Dai Qingli.