Bulgarian milk producers are very likely to stage new protests as
Bulgaria's cattel-breeding sector descends into a forage shortage crisis,
and the government has not done much to alleviate the situation. Photo by
Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
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Bulgaria's government failed in its six-month attempts to secure cheaper
imports of corn and wheat from the Ukraine after Kiev refused to double
its export quota for Bulgaria. This will exacerbate the grain shortage
according to farmers.

Bulgarian agricultural producers expected some 250 000 tons of cheap
Ukrainian corn in order to make up for the forage shortage.

The interdepartmental committee of the Ukrainian ministry of economics,
however, rejected on Tuesday the proposal by President Viktor Yushchenko
and the Minister of Agriculture Yurii Melnik to double the export for
Bulgaria.

This means that Bulgarian farmers and producers will have to buy the
necessary grain from the EU or the USA at higher prices.

According to Krasimir Avramov, chair of the Grain Producers' Association,
the real problem is the danger that Bulgarian farmers might switch to
using wheat for forage in light of the corn shortage. This in turn would
lead to depleting the wheat reserves destined for production of bread and
other foods.

Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Kabil also asked his Ukrainian counterpart
for the export of 50 000 tons of wheat but this request was also rejected
on Tuesday.

Because of the drought in 2007 Bulgaria produced only 250 000 tons of corn
compared to 1 500 000 tons for 2006. According to farmers' organizations,
Bulgaria needs 600 000 tons of corn and 700 000 tons of wheat for animal
forage annually.

"Switching to the more expensive wheat forage is set to exacerbate further
the critical situation of Bulgarian farmers", Avramov said.

He added that the situation would be much better, had the government
provided the BGN 147 M subsidies demanded by the agricultural producers
who are currently preparing to launch new protests on the issue.

Bulgaria's agricultural ministry has promised to ask for permission from
Brussels outside the already allowed BGN 45 M but the request to the
Director of EU's Agriculture and Rural Areas Development Directorate was
submitted on Tuesday.

According to Bulgarian farmers, in other EU member states they would
receive 2,5 kg of forage in exchange for a liter of milk whereas in
Bulgaria they would get only 1 kg.