Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Farmers protest 300% increase in irrigation water price

Photo: БНР - Шумен

Raspberry and strawberry growers took to protest near the village of Trapishte, Razgrad district, northeastern Bulgaria. For about an hour they blocked the main road Razgrad - Targovishte. The reason for their dissatisfaction is the drastic increase in the price of irrigation water announced by the state-owned company Irrigation Systems
Irrigation water for the 2023 season is more than 300% more expensive. "We don't want free water, we don't want gifts from the state, we want to pay for everything, but within reasonable limits. This is a drastic increase," Bozhidar Petkov, chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Raspberry Growers, told BNR. 
He explained that with this increase in the price of water, raspberries and strawberries will become unsellable. A week ago, Deputy Agriculture Minister Todor Dzhikov told BNR that the state would cover the price difference between this year and 2022. According to Petkov, however, the situation remains unchanged.
The state cannot immediately provide funds to compensate fruit and vegetable growers for the drastic increase in the price of irrigation water, as it needs approval from Brussels, Minister Yavor Gechev said.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgarian Parliament to hear cabinet ministers on US "questionnaire" related to Ukraine peacekeeping operation

The Bulgaria Parliament will hear today the Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev about a "questionnaire" prepared by the US on topics related to Bulgaria's readiness to participate in a special military..

published on 2/20/25 6:05 AM
A white fairy tale from Burgas!
Photo: Marina Kirova in the Facebook group

Frosty weather, subzero temperatures expected in almost all regions of Bulgaria on Thursday

On Thursday, the minimum temperatures in Bulgaria will be between minus 14 °C and minus 8°C. In Sofia, it will be around minus 12°C. The day will be sunny but frosty. The thermometer values ​​in most places will be negative. Before noon, there will be..

published on 2/19/25 7:05 PM

Bulgaria honors the memory of national hero Vasil Levski

With various events throughout the country Bulgarians are marking 152 years after the death of the Apostle of Bulgarian Freedom Vasil Levski. Today, at 6:00 p.m. a memorial ceremony in front of the monument to the Apostle of Freedom in Sofia takes..

published on 2/19/25 6:08 PM