Sofia wants subsidies for Bulgarian farmers to be equal to those in the EU

Milk in Bulgaria is becoming increasingly cheaper to purchase, while it is becoming more expensive for farmers to produce it. This was stated by Bulgaria’s caretaker Minister of Agriculture, Ivan Hristanov, before the EU Council on Agriculture in Brussels, the ministry’s press center reported.

He pointed out that since the beginning of 2025, prices have been declining and this trend has not stopped. “We are seeing it in the first months of 2026 as well. At the same time, something even more concerning is beginning. Small farms and people in more disadvantaged areas simply cannot sell their milk and are being refused purchase. The reason is simple - cheap raw material is coming in from outside and distorting the market,” Minister Hristanov explained.

According to him, this is happening at a time when electricity and feed costs are rising. “Farmers are being squeezed from both sides. That is why we clearly stated that in such situations Europe must use all the instruments at its disposal, including funds from the reserve if necessary. Hristanov called for the implementation of the measure for temporary voluntary reduction of supply. This is a quick way to stabilize the market,” the Bulgarian agriculture minister said.

On the topic of the future of the Common Agricultural Policy, Hristanov emphasized that the country’s position firmly supports maintaining agricultural subsidies and equalizing the support for Bulgarian farmers with the levels in other EU member states.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov