August 21, 2007

Bulgaria faces grain shortage woes
 

Bulgaria is still facing grain shortage woes, with domestic animal feed producers blaming the government for failing to maintain sufficient grain reserves.

Domestic animal feed producers estimate that 2.65 million tonnes of wheat, barley and corn are required to meet demand for food and feed this year. However, official estimates put the recent harvest at only 2.2 million tonnes of corn.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Svetla Buchvarova has approached Hungarian authorities to inquire about regulations regarding applications by Bulgarian livestock producers to buy corn from Hungary.

While the EU has allowed Hungary's intervention agency to auction off 1 million tonnes of grain to other countries, Bulgarian livestock producers are concerned that Bulgarian companies will be unable to compete with international grain traders on bidding.