July 27, 2011

Bulgaria could start exporting about 800,000 tonnes of grain to Jordan, with fixed prices for at least five years, Agriculture and Food Minister Miroslav Naydenov said Tuesday (Jul 26).

The two ministers signed a declaration for cooperation on the basis of which future agreements will be concluded, during Jordanian Agriculture Minister Samir al-Habashneh's visit to Sofia.

The two officials discussed the possibility for Bulgaria to become a main exporter of grain and wheat to Jordan, Naydenov said.

The Bulgarian Foreign Minister said that as a gateway to Iraq, Jordan can provide an opportunity for exports to third countries, which he described as a very good option.

During Naydenov's visit to Jordan in March, it was agreed that Bulgaria will provide to Jordan equipment for a laboratory for pesticides, as well as support in the training of experts to perform pesticide tests of fruit and vegetables. The decision to donate the laboratory was made after pesticides above the permissible level were found in tomatoes imported from Jordan.

On the agenda of the talks in Sofia was also the cooperation between the two countries' veterinary services. Thanks to this interaction, the ban on exports of Bulgarian poultry to Jordan has been lifted, Naydenov said.