The Bulgarian dairy sector
DEiPAC and the Dutch Animal Health Office = GD (www.gezondedieren.nl ) are involved in a project initiated by the Dutch ministry of economic affairs to develop the Bulgarian dairy sector chain wide. In a few years the Bulgarian sector should comply with EU standards and should offer dairy farmers in the rural area’s a healthy future and opportunities for young people.
The Bulgarian government has classified existing dairy farms (presently about 95.000) in three categories.
Category 1 dairy farms are allowed to produce for the EU market. They follow the hygiene standards of the Bulgarian government and have a somatic cell count <400. There are about the 3000 dairy farmers in category 1.
The category 2 dairy farms (about 3000) will qualify after minor changes. Most of the existing dairy farms are in category 3, are very small and are not allowed to produce for the EU market. Besides that they get a much lower milk price. Because of that there is basically no future for them in the dairy business with all the related social problems.
In close cooperation DEiPAC and GD have recently produced a report (inception report) that includes strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). About 30 dairy farms in different regions are selected to set up a pilot/demonstration program. The Ministry of Agriculture in Bulgaria will support a detailed communication program for Bulgarian dairy farmers (appr. 95.000). We have visited numerous dairy farms in all categories in different regions of Bulgaria. It has become clear that for farmers the economic arguments are a motive for producing raw milk of a quality that measures with the EU standard.
Also Bulgarian dairy farmers must learn that nowadays the Bulgarian government will only facilitate and guide them. Nevertheless the initiatives for improvement and innovation as well as realization is the farmers own responsibility.