Farmers to receive nearly BGN 1 bn this year

Margarita Dimitrova 


Nearly BGN 1 bn will be distributed to farmers in 2010, announced yesterday Executive Director of Agriculture State Fund, Kalina Ilieva, during a forum in the National Palace of Culture, which marked the start of the campaign. Ilieva announced, in the presence of representatives from all professional organizations in the sector, that almost BGN 328 mln were the EU subsidies and another BGN 300 mln were allocated from the Bulgarian budget. So far, under the 2009 campaign farmers have received 98% of the provided BGN 771 mln. This happens for the first time since the start of the campaign - December last year - January - February this year, said further Ilieva. 

For many farmers, up to that moment the possibilities opened by the European policy had been imaginary, said Minister of Agriculture, Miroslav Naydenov. He stated that this year the Government would make all necessary efforts for agricultural producers to use this support in maximum.. Applications for subsidies are accepted as of March 1 but the process must be transparent in order to avoid missing the opportunity or being punished after payments begin on December 1, warned Naidenov. He asked the farmers to be critical, but also ready for dialogue. "The agribusiness cannot function without subsidies in this crisis”, said Deputy Agriculture Minister, Preslav Borissov. He gave an example of a farmer who had earned BGN 16,000 from 15,000 dca, his labour costs excluded. 

The procedures for receiving additional payments were given in detail at the forum. There are changes in the subsidies for tobacco. The aid will be paid on the basis of the average quantity produced throughout the years.