Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Farmers protest 300% increase in irrigation water price

Photo: БНР - Шумен

Raspberry and strawberry growers took to protest near the village of Trapishte, Razgrad district, northeastern Bulgaria. For about an hour they blocked the main road Razgrad - Targovishte. The reason for their dissatisfaction is the drastic increase in the price of irrigation water announced by the state-owned company Irrigation Systems
Irrigation water for the 2023 season is more than 300% more expensive. "We don't want free water, we don't want gifts from the state, we want to pay for everything, but within reasonable limits. This is a drastic increase," Bozhidar Petkov, chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Raspberry Growers, told BNR. 
He explained that with this increase in the price of water, raspberries and strawberries will become unsellable. A week ago, Deputy Agriculture Minister Todor Dzhikov told BNR that the state would cover the price difference between this year and 2022. According to Petkov, however, the situation remains unchanged.
The state cannot immediately provide funds to compensate fruit and vegetable growers for the drastic increase in the price of irrigation water, as it needs approval from Brussels, Minister Yavor Gechev said.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

UPDATED Freight trains collide head-on near Sofia, two people are killed

Two people were killed and five were injured in a head-on collision between two freight trains near Sofia, BNT reported.  The trains collided near the village of Lokorsko, between the villages of Kremikovtzi and Svetovrachene. One of the freight..

published on 1/15/25 5:39 PM

Weather forecast: Cold Thursday morning with daytime highs around and below 0°C

On Thursday morning, visibility will be reduced in some areas in the valleys and around the water bodies. After noon, the cloud cover will break up and decrease. It will be mostly sunny over Eastern Bulgaria. The lowest temperatures will range from..

published on 1/15/25 5:20 PM

The parliamentary majority agreement and what's in it

GERB-SDS, BSP – United Left and "There Is Such A People have signed an agreement outlining the main priorities for the future government, said the press center of GERB-SDS. The parliamentary group of Democracy, Rights and Freedoms – DPS affiliated..

published on 1/15/25 4:59 PM