Bulgaria's fruit growers are in big trouble

Without government help, the sector could be on the brink of bankruptcy. The spring frosts and last week's hail destroyed 70-80 percent of the crop. (Photo: Pixabay) Cruel conditions prevail in the Bulgarian orchards, which cover approximately 65,000 hectares, the spring frosts and summer hailstorms caused such serious damage to the cherry, pear and peach plantations that there is almost nothing to harvest from the trees. The problem is particularly serious in the north and south-east of Bulgaria. - said Nikolaj Kolev, president of the Union of Danube Fruit Grower. Due to the lack of domestic fruit, the Bulgarian market has to be served with imported goods, mainly Greek peaches and nectarines are available in the shops. And the situation will not change, since the yield is so low that the harvest is also missed, since the farmers can pick a minimum amount of fruit from the trees, and this threatens them with bankruptcy. Many people started selling their plantations because of ...