It is increasingly said that the food crisis is knocking on the door. As of today, it is difficult to find bread at a price below BGN 2.
“The most unfortunate thing is that the Bulgarian government cannot realize that we are on the verge of a food crisis. No measures have been taken in 2 months. The government had decided to buy grain from an old harvest, I was against it, a month later it starts the harvest has not been bought and 1 kg. The state can create obstacles, but it cannot restrict exports “, commented the former Minister of Agriculture Mehmed Dikme in the studio of” The Day ON AIR “.
He is adamant that no producer will agree to sell his grain to the state at a price of BGN 600, after the wheat is loaded at BGN 670 per ton at the port of Bourgas.
“The expected new grain harvest is about 7 million tons. Probably 5-6 tons will be exported and next year at that time Bulgaria may experience a shortage,” Dikme told Bulgaria ON AIR.
According to him, the state cannot afford to buy and store grain in warehouses because there are none. He therefore recommended buying and paying rent to grain producers to store it.
“The price per kilogram of bread will not be below BGN 3. I expect there will be an increase in the price and a subsequent increase soon. But grain producers are not to blame, they are not speculators. Last year they fertilized with fertilizers for BGN 500 per ton, now – by 2000 BGN, the fuel of BGN 1.50 is now BGN 3.50. The prime cost is different “, said the former Minister of Agriculture.
And he recommended that the government adequately help the socially disadvantaged.
“It will not be a problem for the rich to make bread for BGN 20, but for the poor bread of BGN 3 and yoghurt of BGN 2 will be a problem. There is much more VAT revenue in the budget. The treasury has more oil from each bottle. collects BGN 1. There is money, the state must know how to distribute it properly “, stressed Dikme.
He expects people to protest because their salaries will not be enough. And as the next sector in which problems are brewing, he pointed out the production of oil.
“Today France buys a large amount of sunflower from Bulgaria. Let the Minister sit down with the butchers, Bulgaria should stop exporting sunflower and refined oil. It can be processed here. There may be a problem with the harvest. 95% of our oil. It is imported from Russia. If there is no fuel, farmers will not be able to harvest their produce, “Mehmed Dikme warned.
And he advised farmers to stock up on fuel so that they would not have difficulty in just a few weeks.
