Inspections begin for the real purchase prices at which production from Bulgarian producers is purchased. This was announced by the Chairperson of the Consumer Protection Commission (CPC) Maya Manolova during the second day of the three-day forum “Farmers and Markets – Competitive through Sustainability“, organized by the Bulgarian Farmers' Union.
“During the inspections that we will carry out – they will literally start from today, the truth will become clear about what the real prices are, at what prices Bulgarian production, Bulgarian production is purchased“, said Manolova.
She cited Eurostat data, according to which Bulgaria exceeds the average European prices for basic food products: oils and fats - 142 percent, dairy products and eggs - 126 percent, sugar products - 116 percent.
"At the same time, price levels are 93 percent of the average European, and purchasing power is only 68 percent", added the chairman of the CPC.
On the topic of the initiative “Basket with Care“ Maya Manolova emphasized that practice shows that the problem cannot be solved by voluntary agreements with the chains.
She stated that her main commitment as chairwoman of the Consumers' Confederation is to lower prices for consumers, without this happening at the expense of Bulgarian producers. According to her, there is a need to refine the methodology for "fair value".
According to her, it does not reflect the cost of the product and sets the wrong basis for wholesale prices, taking the market prices from the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Markets, instead of the real prices at which retail chains buy. Manolova also said that the CPA is insisting on a legislative change that provides for sanctions in the event of systematic or serious deviations from fair value.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food, Professor Dr. Ivan Paligorov, announced during the forum that a new directorate is being created in the ministry to collect market information on quantities, prices and quality for both domestic and foreign markets in order to facilitate the sale of farm produce.
Paligorov also informed that joint meetings were held with the Customs Agency and the National Revenue Agency on the import of fruits and vegetables from third countries - Turkey and the Western Balkans, and it was found that trucks cross the border with invoices of greatly reduced values, after which the goods are resold many times more expensively. Ivan Paligorov announced that taxation of goods at the border is being introduced based on average real prices in order to curb fictitious price dumping, BTA reports.