Almost 70 percent of all greenhouses for vegetable cultivation have stopped their production this winter, due to high gas prices, the Association of Greenhouse Producers told state radio and television. This has led to a shortage of Bulgarian tomatoes and cucumbers on the domestic market, says Euractiv.
The greenhouse producers are demanding state compensation in case of another gas price increase. At the beginning of January, the price increased by 30 percent to €67 per megawatt hour (MWh), which is far below the prices of the gas exchanges in Western Europe. The reason is that Bulgargaz has long-term contracts with Russia and Azerbaijan that keep prices stable.
However, farmers in the EU's poorest country are vulnerable to any increase in energy prices. The organization points to the example of Greece, where gas and electricity prices are also skyrocketing, but greenhouses continue to operate because they are supported by the state.
Source: euractiv.de
