Following recent hailstorms that severely damaged the harvests of many local farmers, an influx of Albanian and Greek vegetables has entered the Bulgarian market, according to the Bulgarian Association of Greenhouse Producers. The association reports that imported produce is being mixed with domestically grown goods and sold as local products at market stalls. Nova TV notes that the association has expressed readiness to organize protests if market oversight is not strengthened.
Marin Genurov, chairman of the association, highlighted a growing trend of importing lower-cost produce, particularly greenhouse-grown tomatoes and cucumbers. He noted that there is information suggesting that vegetables are being re-exported from Albania through Greece and sold in Bulgaria at reduced prices. "Tomatoes are arriving at prices as low as 1.50 leva per kilogram, and cucumbers between 0.80 and 1.20 leva," Genurov stated. "In contrast, similar produce grown in Bulgaria costs at least 1 leva more."
Ivan Kaburov, deputy chairman of the association, added that the imported vegetables are often of lower quality and less visually appealing, with their main competitive edge being their lower price. He explained that the production cost for Bulgarian greenhouse vegetables is approximately 2.40 leva per kilogram. In comparison, they are currently being sold for about 1.40 leva, resulting in financial losses for local producers. Kaburov called on the Bulgarian Food and Agriculture Agency to take a more active role in regulating imports, markets, and fairs to ensure fair competition and protect domestic production.
Source: fakti.bg