Bulgaria Newsflash Week 22
511 million euro for Bulgaria under the EU’ SURE scheme; 138 varieties of grain crops over the 70-years history of the Dobroudja Agrarian Institute; Bulgaria and the region are still suffering from the Illegal trade in wild sturgeon; what the Bulgarian producers receive under Natura 2000: a picture of Bulgaria’s agriculture in brief.
Bulgaria receives SURE financing for the first time
Bulgaria will receive EUR 511 million in what will be its first payment under the SURE scheme, Investor reports quoting the European Commission. It is the total amount this country has requested. The funding available for this temporary support scheme for mitigating unemployment risk in an emergency, stands at EUR 14.1 billion. It has been the first time Bulgaria and Estonia receive SURE support. The scheme aims to help member states handle unexpected surges in public costs for protecting employment during the coronavirus pandemic. Between 4,500 and 5,000 Bulgarian employers will get support to retain jobs. 19 EU member states have applied for EUR 94.3 billion. The funding that has been provided thus far went to 30 million Europeans and 2.5 million businesses.
Dobroudja Agrarian Institute boasts creating 138 varieties of grain crops
The Dobroudja Agrarian Institute celebrated its 70th anniversary this year and the 80th anniversary of Bulgarian agrarian research in the northeastern region of Dobroudja, which is known as Bulgaria’s breadbasket. Ever since 1951, the Institute has created 243 varieties and hybrids, AgriBG reports. Of these, 138 are varieties of grain crops: normal wheat and durum wheat, barley and triticale; 55 are varieties and hybrids of sunflower; and 50 of beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, vetchling and bitter vetch.
Illegal trade in wild sturgeon in Bulgaria and the region remains rampant
Wild sturgeon and sturgeon roe are still widely traded in Bulgaria despite the effective ban, according to a study by WWF. At the same time data from the law-enforcing authorities show a dramatic increase in the amount of confiscated devices for sturgeon fishing. 145 samples of the haul from commercial fishing nets were collected in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine between October 2016 and July 2020. The samples were taken from all kinds of locations: shops and supermarkets, bars and restaurants, local farmers markets and facilities used by fishermen and dealers, and online sellers. They were put to izotope and DNA analysis in a German laboratory to establish the type and origin of the surgeon. The results showed that a third of all samples were on the market illegally. Of 32 surgeon sample in Bulgaria, 6 were on the market illegally and four were proven to be wild sturgeon.
Over BGN 45 Mln were paid out in Bulgaria under Natura 2000
State Fund Agriculture has paid out BGN 45,369,995 in the 2020 campaign under Natura 2000/Water Framework Directive payments Measure 12 of the 2014-2020 Rural Development programme. The subsidies went to 11,204 farmers. The measure supports farmers with lands included in the Natura 2000 network of protected areas, who observe the restrictions in the respective zone. The aid is provided in the form of annual per-ha payments.