Information for fruit and vegetables business in CIS
Bulgaria: Vegetable prices between 20 and 120% higher than last year
At the moment, most vegetables in Bulgaria are between 20 and 120% more expensive than in the same period last year. One of the greatest increases has been registered by cabbages, which now cost 0.59 euro/kg, compared to 0.26 euro/kg last year.
Cucumber prices are also almost 50% higher. They currently stand at 1.43 euro/kg, while a year ago they cost an average of 0.97 euro/kg. Imported cucumbers are also about 0.31 euro/kg cheaper in the wholesale.
For their part, tomatoes cost 0.26 euro/kg more than last year. Bulgarian greenhouse tomatoes reach almost 1.53 euro/kg and imports are about 0.15 euro/kg cheaper. Lettuce registered the sharpest increase, with a price 6 times higher than last year.
Vegetable prices are a matter of market economics, supply and demand, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture Vasil Grudev. He denied allegations that Spanish lettuce was in a better position because of subsidies, but due to lower production costs.
Grudev stated that, after the first 7 years of Bulgaria's membership in the EU, the Government's efforts in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy will start focusing on supporting the production of fruits and vegetables.