The producer from the village of Kurtovo Konare says that the NRA is really doing its job properly this spring
“Every farmer’s hope is that when they finally hit the line, they won’t be at a loss.”
That’s what it says Veselin Velevwho in February this year dared to charge his greenhouses in the village of Kurtovo Konare with cucumber seedlings. He has continued to heat his 45 acres of steel-and-glass greenhouses ever since. And it will do so even in the early hours of June to prevent the fumes from creating a fertile environment for pathogens.
In contrast to the previous two years, in 2024 greenhouse growers did not receive support for the cultivation of winter vegetable crops.
“However, I did not risk planting vegetable seedlings in December. I did it at the end of February to save energy costs,” Veselin clarifies.
His complex has the alternative of heating with wood or natural gas. This winter, the manufacturer has found it more profitable to use wood, despite the significant reduction in gas prices.
“I like the market right now – it’s stable! The wholesale price of the cucumber is 3 BGN,” said Vesco, who started harvesting a month ago. He prefers to sell his goods at the market in the village of Parvenets. Some time ago he did research on the conditions of the retail chains, but he did not like them. That is why he trusted the people of the marketplace.
Vesko Velev is sincerely angry at the question of a previous minister of agriculture whether it makes sense in our country to spend energy on the winter production of vegetables, since in more southern countries the sun heats the produce for free. “Such a minister should leave quickly,” the producer from Kurtovo Konare is angry. “That’s like telling me I have no right to live!”
At the moment, the situation is critical for fruit and vegetable producers, as they have not yet received tied support. There was also a delay with the Ukrainian aid. The greenhouses were also left without help for heating. “We drive on our own reserves,” Vesco says.
He will not receive aid because of the war, because according to the calculations he made, he reached the ceiling of 280 thousand euros last year.
This is not good, because the costs per hectare of greenhouse vegetables are BGN 20 to 25 thousand in winter (of which 50-60% are for heating) and BGN 10-12 thousand in summer, when the sun generally takes over the commitment with the necessary degrees . If you plant seedlings already in December, then heating takes up 70% of the costs.
Against the backdrop of delayed and refused payments, the greenhouse producer from Kurtovo Konare, Stamboliyski municipality reports a big plus that he had stopped hoping for. It is related to the activation of the NRA at the auctions and customs.
In contrast to previous years, when the importers, checking the pulse of the state and seeing that it is not there, allowed themselves to import vegetables at a price announced by them, 10 cents, for example. What lasted for decades hit the Bulgarian producers and also the state because of the drastically lower VAT collections.
Now the importers behave decently and do not allow themselves the previous dumping. That’s why the market is calm, Vesco explains.
He has been a greenhouse grower for 23 years and is sure there is no better profession than his. There are about 50 workers and an agronomist who has earned his trust. He is a member of the Bulgarian Association of Greenhouse Producers, because he knows that he should be together with like-minded people.
#rejects #greenhouse #production #telling #life #Agro #Plovdiv
