There is no doubt that the Bulgarian cuisine is rich in traditional and tasty meals. Ancient recipes are still preserved and used in villages across the country. Home-grown fruits and vegetables with magnificent taste can be found in the gardens. However, if one decides to stay at a guest house and tries a local meal, the answer to the question on the origin of the products will be: “the local store”. This is due to the fact that Bulgarian small farmers do not have an access to the retail chain store system or groceries. The Bulgarian branch of the Eurotoques association of European chefs has paid attention to this paradox for a long time.

What is the problem?

Small farms hadn’t had the chance to sell directly to the market until 4 years ago and their goods used to reach it via resellers. The quite controversial regulation on direct supplies was adopted back in 2010 and it showed lots of demerits. To start with, it allowed to small farms to sell directly barely 20 – 30 percent of raw milk, while the rest had to be handed to reselling organizations. Farmers just didn’t see the point to build up producing capacities for such a small share and so barely 200 of them have voiced their will to sell directly after the adoption of the regulation, 2/3 of those being beekeepers. This type of activity was stimulated the most and the result is visible: a large variety of Bulgarian bee honey can be freely bought on the market here.

Should legislation be the same for big and small farmers?

No, because such legislation is strongly restrictive for small farmers and practically it slowly kills them, experts say. There are options within the EU for flexible implementation of the requirements, but Bulgaria didn’t use those options until now.

“How do we expect small farmers to fight competition on the market with a legislation that tolerates big producers only,” MEP Antonia Parvanova asks rhetorically. At the same time the products of the small ones are sought and can mean employment and sustainable growth for the depopulating Bulgarian villages. There is demand, there is an option for offers, but the legislation puts a barrier between small farmers and customers. The access of the first to financial resource should be eased significantly either.”

An amendment to this poor regulation is currently being discussed.

Most of the administrative barriers are expected to drop and family farms to be eased to the maximum with direct sales. Thus finally homemade milk, yogurt, cheese, yellow cheese and honey can reach the customer directly in the farm itself or on the market. Small farms with 2-3 cows and a dozen sheep are envisaged to be able to sell their production at separate stands, in order to avoid resellers and receive a good price for their products. Requirements on the premises of production and safety proof for the foods will be less restrictive too. Milk farms will now have the right to sell up to 80 percent of their milk – raw or processed. Atila Sedefchev, who breeds animals of rare local breeds, pays attention to an additional factor – personal contact, which is now lost.

“We always have a direct face-to-face contact between the customer and the small farmer. The customer can see the conditions, the person that sells and this is a kind of a guarantee that has been working for ages. We just need a slight legitimization of the process. Currently things are going in the direction of a pure genocide. Let’s not forget that traditional foods are part not only of national culture, but also of its security, its food security…”

In the words of Deputy Agricultural Minister Yavor Gechev a total of 230 stationeries for purchase of the production of farms, situated high in the mountain will be established. Stimuli are envisaged for restaurants that use fresh local agricultural products. The idea is considered on those receiving green stars to their category for that. Products from the mountains will be stimulated either. Of course, organic products also can expect such an easing of their direct access to the market.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev