EU Commission to allocate €16 million compensation to Bulgarian grain producers

published on 3/21/23 2:13 PM

Agriculture Minister Yavor Gechev toalking to protesting farmers in the village of Gorna Studena, March 21, 2023

Photo: Zdravka Masliankova, BNR

Before harvest, Bulgaria will receive 16 million euros from the European Commission to compensate grain producers for their production left in storage because of the Ukrainian grain duty-free dumping. This is what Agriculture Minister Yavor Gechev told protesting farmers in the village of Gorna Studena.

According to Gechev, the country has 1.313 million tons of sunflower - 420,000 tons more than in 2022. There are also 660,000 tons more wheat and 89,000 tons more corn. Bulgaria suffers more than other EU countries from Ukrainian grain imports, the minister said. He added that "we are a country in solidarity with Ukraine, but Bulgarian producers cannot sell wheat at 21 euro cents per kilo and sunflowers at 40 euro cents, which is below their cost price".

The Commission presented its support measure worth €56,3 million for Bulgarian, Polish and Romanian farmers to the Ministers of agriculture in yesterday's agriculture Council meeting.

The financial aid will be distributed to the three Member States who will then distribute it to farmers as soon as possible. The Commission proposes to allocate €29,5 million to Poland, €16,75 to Bulgaria and €10,05 million to Romania.

The three countries can complement this EU support up to 100% with national funds which would amount to a total financial aid of €112,6 million for affected farmers.

The Commission would expect payments to be made to farmers by 30 September 2023.

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