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

Grain producers plan protest over proposed lifting of ban on the import of Ukrainian grain

Photo: BGNES

Grain producers are calling a protest, after We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria (PP/DB), GERB, plus the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) proposed allowing the import of Ukrainian grain into Bulgaria after 15 September.  

According to the grain producers, they will sustain serious losses because of the dumping prices of Ukrainian grain. Ilia Prodanov, chairman of the Grain Producers Association warned: “The survival of stockbreeding, grain production and bee-keeping is at stake – all of these sectors are subject to enormous pressure and dumping from Ukraine.” Bulgaria imposed a ban on the import of grain from Ukraine in April. The European Commission promised support to farmers but no support has been given, the grain producers claim.

Since the ban was put in place, Sofia Commodity Exchange data indicate a wide divergence of the price expectations of buyers and sellers, and there are practically no deals because neither of the sides is making a compromise.

Meanwhile oilseed oil producers in Bulgaria say they are having to close down their factories because they do not have a sufficient amount of raw material to process. Finance Minister Assen Vassilev stated that because of the ban on the transit of Ukrainian grain, the budget has lost EUR 82 million in uncollected taxes. 



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

Morning temperatures remain low, but the day will be spring-like warm

On Friday , the lowest temperatures will be between minus 5 and 0°C. In Sofia it will be around minus 3°C. In the morning hours along the riverbanks and around water basins there will be reduced visibility. It will be sunny during..

published on 3/20/25 7:05 PM
Prime Minister Zhelyazkov (left) at a meeting with ECB and Eurogroup Presidents Christine Lagarde (middle) and Paschal Donahue, Brussels, March 20, 2025

PM discusses Bulgaria's eurozone entry with ECB and Eurogroup presidents

The importance of eurozone membership for Bulgaria was the focus of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov's meeting with European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup President Pascal Donahue. On the sidelines of the European Council meeting..

published on 3/20/25 6:07 PM

BNB Governor: Bulgaria meets all nominal criteria for the eurozone

"Currently, Bulgaria is one of the few in the EU that unconditionally meets all nominal criteria for convergence to the eurozone, including the price stability criterion, with which we have had problems in recent years." This was..

published on 3/20/25 3:35 PM