Desislava Taneva

Bulgaria's wine production industry is working under the conditions of a drop in exports to Russia and a surge to China, Germany, and the UK, Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva said on Sunday.

Chinese entrepreneurs will build a large forage factory in northeastern Bulgaria.

The factory, which will be located in the breadbasket of Bulgaria - the region of Dobrudja, will process forage plants for export.

This was announced by Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva after business meetings at the international economic forum in the Chinese city of Suzhou.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has departed for a visit to China with seven ministers for a meeting with the country's leadership and officials from Central and Eastern European states.

The city of Suzhou in Eastern China is due to host the Fourth leaders' meeting of China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries on November 24-25.

Qatar's Environment Minister Ahmed bin Amir al-Humaidi has proposed that Sofia and Doha set up a joint venture involving leading food producers, the Bulgarian government has said.

Details are yet to be discussed as a Qatari delegation led by Al-Humaidi is on a visit to Sofia until Tuesday.

Twelve Bulgarian lamb producers are to unveil on Monday a major project they would like to develop with Qatar, Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva has said.

Her remarks came on Saturday at a press briefing after a meeting with Qatari Environment Minister Ahmed bin Amir al-Humaidi in Sofia.

Bulgarian farmers will be granted EUR 50 M for purchasing agricultural equipment under the Rural Development Program.

Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva announced in an interview for the Focus news agency that Measure #21 under the Rural Development Program 2007-2013 concerning the modernization of agricultural holdings had been launched on Friday.

The European Commission has currently no intention of paying pay compensations to Bulgarian dairy producers due to the decrease in the price of the raw material and the losses caused by the Russian embargo, according to Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva.

Bulgarian farmers have suffered BGN 82 M (EUR 41 M) in lost revenue as a result of the Russian ban on food imports from the West, Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva said on Sunday.

Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, has admitted that dairy farmers in the EU, including Bulgaria-based ones, are going through a rough patch not only due to the Russian ban on imports of agricultural production from Western countries, but also the instability of the market.

European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan will pay a visit to Bulgaria on Friday at the invitation of Agriculture Minister Desislava Taneva.

Apart from meeting with Taneva, Hogan will also hold talks with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov as well as MPs from the parliamentary Agriculture and Foods Committee.