Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov has announced a targeted approach to extend financial assistance exclusively to grain producers facing losses in 2023. This decision comes after a meeting in the Council of Ministers with representatives of major agricultural organizations, where the Prime Minister emphasized that only farms demonstrating financial losses will qualify for support.
The proposed scheme requires eligible grain producers to submit declarations to the National Revenue Agency by the end of February. The specifics of the assistance plan, aimed at mitigating losses, are yet to be finalized and will be subject to discussions with the agricultural organizations.
Prime Minister Denkov clarified the government's approach, stating, "Regarding the grain producers - only the losers will be supported, regarding the other subsectors - we are talking about the distribution of funds among all farms."
In addition to the targeted support for grain producers, the government has allocated BGN 150 million through budget restructuring to be distributed among various agricultural subsectors, including milk, meat, fruits, and vegetables. The distribution will follow formulas deemed reasonable, with further discussions scheduled with branch organizations to finalize the details.
The chairman of the National Association of Grain Producers, Iliya Prodanov, emphasized the need for legislative changes discussed during the meeting. Proposed changes include amendments to the laws on the ownership and use of agricultural lands, leasing, branch organizations, cooperatives, the Agrarian Chamber, and food trade.
The objective of these discussions and policy adjustments is to address the concerns of farmers and prevent potential protests. However, recent statements by Minister of Agriculture Kiril Vatev suggest doubts about whether farmers will abandon their strike action. The demands from Bulgarian manufacturers for over BGN 500 million in financial aid stem from challenges posed by the import of goods from Ukraine.
