A number of vegetable producers in Southwestern Bulgaria are considering stopping their activities due to the low purchase price of their produce. According to them, dozens of acres of land will remain deserted, and Bulgarian vegetables will disappear from the market, writes bTV.
Tomato producers from Kresna said that “first quality“ products come out of them at a price of 1.30 leva per kilogram, the same product in the store reaches 4 leva. “extra quality“ tomatoes go to traders at a price of 1.80 leva, and reach a selling price of 6 leva.
“This is a mockery of the Bulgarian producer. We look at this plant like a small child – we feed it, we water it and in the end some speculators, resellers appear who make fun of our work, because the speculation comes from them“, said a producer.
The situation is similar with cucumbers. Producers sell the vegetable for about 0.80 leva per kg, and in the store its price reaches many times more. Farmers complained that with this amount they cannot even cover their production costs.
“We established the Farmers-Kresna association, because one by one no one would listen to us. We will get to the end. We will not allow them to make fun of us anymore. We are all stronger“, added the producers.
They insist that there should be no imported goods on the market during the period when there is fresh Bulgarian produce (April - September).