Milk in Bulgaria is becoming cheaper to buy, and it is becoming more expensive for farmers to produce it. This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Ivan Hristanov during a meeting of the EU Council on Agriculture and Fisheries in Brussels. He pointed out that since the beginning of 2025, prices have been going down and this is not stopping. “We see it in the first months of 2026 as well. At the same time, something even more worrying is starting. Small farms and people in more difficult areas simply cannot sell their milk and are being denied purchase. The reason is simple, namely that cheap raw materials are entering from outside and distorting the market”, specified Minister Hristanov. According to him, this is happening exactly when the costs of electricity and feed are increasing. “The farmer is being squeezed by both sides. That is why we have made it clear that in such situations Europe must use all the tools at its disposal. If necessary, funds from the reserve. And most importantly, to implement the measure for a temporary voluntary reduction of supplies. This is a quick way to stabilize the market“, the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture was categorical.
On the topic of the future of the EU's agricultural policy, Minister Hristanov emphasized that our country's position is firm. “The CAP must remain an independent policy with a real budget. You cannot want food security and cut support. With these prices and this instability, farmers need predictability - direct payments, coupled support, investments. This is not a bonus - this is a condition for the sector to survive. And another important thing - we must stop the differences between countries. "The Bulgarian farmer cannot receive less for the same work," he explained.
During the meeting, Minister Hristanov also pointed out that the signing of agreements "in pieces" should be stopped, without considering the overall effect. "When you accumulate several of these, the impact on sensitive sectors becomes serious. And secondly - border control must be real. Not just on paper. The quality and safety of imports are not a subject for compromise," he added.
Regarding fisheries and aquaculture, Minister Hristanov stated that our country supports the direction of the EU, but the reality in Bulgaria is difficult. "The sector works with old ships, an unsafe environment and specific conditions in the Black Sea. And at the same time, it is told - modernize, switch to energy-efficient solutions. This costs money. A lot of money. And it cannot be done without support. That's why we insist on changes in the European fund so that we can really help. And for something simple - payments should happen quickly, not be delayed for months. And something else - small fishermen. If we don't provide them with access to financing without unnecessary bureaucracy, this sector will simply disappear,“ emphasized the Minister of Agriculture.