The attacks in the Black Sea are already making it difficult for Bulgarian grain exports, warned the chairman of the National Association of Grain Producers Iliya Prodanov. According to him, about 5 million tons of wheat from the new harvest should be exported from the country, but six ships expected after the attack on a merchant ship off Romania have not arrived at Bulgarian ports.
“There is no written refusal, but the ships simply do not come“, said Prodanov. He pointed out that other vessels are waiting in the southern part of the Black Sea due to concerns about shipping safety. According to him, the change in the behavior of shipping companies is already affecting exports and putting the sale of grain at risk.
Prodanov insisted that Bulgaria guarantee the safety of shipping in its territorial waters. “Bulgaria has no alternative to its Black Sea ports“, he said, adding that the economic consequences will affect not only farmers, but also the budget, ports and related jobs.
There is no sufficient backup route
According to data presented by the chairman of the association, wheat must be exported by June 2027. The problem is that Bulgaria does not have a transport alternative that can handle such quantities. The rail connection with Greek ports is limited, and the available infrastructure does not allow the transfer of the entire volume.
In their best periods, Bulgarian ports reached a capacity of about 1 million tons, Prodanov pointed out. At the same time, any delay in October and November could require twice as much time to catch up during the winter months, when loading opportunities are smaller.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the cost of grain transport from the Black Sea basin has increased five to six times, he added. According to Prodanov, a prolonged interruption of exports would lead to a build-up of production, pressure on domestic prices and a shortage of storage space before the next harvest.
The Ministry of Transport reports a different picture
Against this background, the Ministry of Transport reports that at the time of the inspection no delays, redirection or postponement of deliveries and loading and unloading activities were identified in the port terminals of Varna and Burgas.
However, the Minister of Transport Georgi Peev admits that the effect of the attacks may manifest itself with a delay. According to him, more serious consequences are possible for future cargo batches for which no contracts have yet been concluded.
Therefore, at the moment there is a discrepancy between the officially reported work of the ports and the warning of grain producers about a change in the behavior of shipping companies. Prodanov expects a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture and the parliamentary committee on agriculture to discuss the security of maritime transport and the risk to exports.
Sources: novini.bg, bntnews.bg, flagman.bg