The lack of labor and the low purchase price of medicinal plants are facing a serious crisis in herbalism in our country. Most of the herb collection and processing points in Ruse, Razgrad and Silistra have already been closed. In order to save their business, some of the companies are relying on exports abroad, where interest in Bulgarian production is high, BNT pointed out.
Two years ago, Sinan Veysal decided to start herbalism, without suspecting how expensive it would cost him.
Sinan Veysal – producer, chairman of the regional chamber "Fruits and Vegetables": "I tried with St. John's wort, which when we picked it and sold it - the price we got covered 50% of the picking costs. That is, I had to pay 50% out of my pocket just for the picking."
Due to the low purchase price of medicinal plants, fewer and fewer people are interested in herbalism. The shortage of labor forces the owners of herbal preparation points to close.
"They know very well that we do not grow herbs, do not incur large expenses, rely on incidental picking and take advantage of the situation and the prices are very low," says Sinan Veysal.
Venelin Skarlatov, head of the department "NATURA 2000 Management" to the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water-Ruse: "We used to have 130 points, and in the last two years almost half of them have been closed. The reason that the herbalists themselves point out is that there is no labor force and low purchase prices. Currently, there are 54 herbal points in the three districts, 17 in Ruse and Silistra districts each, and 20 in Razgrad."
Although the points in the district are few, not all of them are in order. During the inspections, the eco-inspectors found 6 violations.
Venelin Skarlatov, Head of the "NATURA 2000 Management" Department; to the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water-Ruse: "The most common violation is failure to submit the necessary information, the so-called report on purchased and sold quantities of herbs. One of the important conditions is that there is no access to the herbs themselves by domestic animals and no access to outside birds."
The most sought-after herbs at this time of year are linden, hawthorn and nettle.