Subsidies for Bulgaria Dairy Farmers for Collection and Storage of Raw Milk
Small and medium-sized farmers will be able to apply for financial aid for the collection and storage of raw milk, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry (MAFF).
The farmers applying for the aid will receive a maximum project funding of 25,000 leva, out of a total budget of 2 million leva.
This initiative is possible because the European Commission approved the State aid scheme presented by Bulgaria titled "Investments for the purchase of facilities for the collection and storage of raw milk and feeding facilities for newborn animals with milk". The scheme will be applied until December 31, 2020. The objective of the financial assistance is to improve the overall productivity and sustainability of dairy production by reducing production costs or improving and re-directing production.
The Advisory Council on Livestock met at the ministry on Tuesday and discussed aid possibilities. Minister Rumen Porodzanov argued that animals should be registered and thus the payment of subsidies to unscrupulous breeders should be suspended.
There was also a matter of clearing the National Information System for Registration, Identification, Tracking and Controlling the Health Status of Animals from "virtual" animals, said the MAFF press centre.