Fruit and vegetable producers seek the resignation of agriculture minister

13 organisations, including fruit, vegetable and potato growers, as well as organic producers, are insisting on the resignation of Agriculture Minister Rumen Porozhanov. Their motives are that the ministry has no policy of managing their industry, ignores their demands, which results in damages and insolvencies. Farmers are preparing for protest on Monday.

The manufacturers said they could not understand Rumen Porozhanov, who together with his team showed unwillingness to work together. Most angry are the organic producers who recently protested against a new regulation introducing higher requirements for them and for the companies that certify them.

Milen Stoyanov, Bulgarian BioProducts Association: The only option is to abolish this regulation and to create a new one or to amend it, but with our participation - all of us who are interested.

The branch organization of the fruit and vegetable producers said they barely survive, and in fact our country from a big producer became a fruit and vegetable importer.

Chavdar Marinov, Association of Producers of Fruits and Vegetables: We want the resignation of Porozhanov, because if we continue this way, within five years the Bulgarian fruits and vegetables will disappear. Currently, the fruit and vegetables in the big supermarkets are Turkish, Macedonian and Albanian. There are no policies, no management visions. The sector is at the bottom.

Potato growers complained that only 1/3 of the potatoes on the Bulgarian market are Bulgarian, despite the excellent conditions we have for growing potatoes.