In an effort to enhance protection against hailstorms and preserve agricultural output, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (МЗХ) is initiating the installation of 24 new rocket launch sites. This initiative was announced by the acting Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Georgi Tahov, during a meeting with industry associations of producers, as reported by the Ministry.
Minister Tahov pointed out that the Executive Agency for Hail Suppression (ИАБГ) has conducted a comprehensive analysis, which includes establishing sites in regions currently without coverage. Plans include constructing 7 new rocket launch sites for the Regional Directorate for Hail Suppression in Staro Selo, Sliven region, and an additional 4 sites for the Directorate in Dolni Dabnik, Pleven region. The agricultural minister also noted that a detailed analysis has been commissioned to potentially extend the range of hail protection across the country.
Agricultural producers discussed the damages experienced on agricultural grounds and greenhouses, touching upon the reasons behind certain areas being uninsured. With this in mind, meeting attendees explored the possibility of creating a consolidated payment mechanism to compensate producers in extraordinary circumstances. Tahov reminded those present that the number of applications for state aid for insuring agricultural production submitted this year has tripled compared to the same period last year. „An intensive assessment of damages based on the farmers’ applications is underway,“ stated the minister.
The Bulgarian Farmers’ Union has pushed for the creation of a compensation fund for damage in agriculture, according to an announcement from the organization. This fund should provide coverage not only for hail, which devastates crops, but also in cases of floods and droughts, expressed Georgi Stoyanov, chairman of the Bulgarian Farmers’ Union. „In such difficult situations, agricultural producers most certainly need prompt support and assistance,“ he remarked.
Stoyanov advocates for the formation of a functioning compensation system for those farmers whose losses—in quantity and quality—hinder the commercialization of their crops, even if they are not facing a total 100% loss or failure of their plots.
The entire sector, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, is now dedicated to developing an effective mechanism to safeguard all owners who have incurred similar losses, drawing on experiences from Europe. Options include a guarantee fund with insurance and state aid.
The Bulgarian Farmers’ Union suggests, as part of potential solutions to overcome these issues, to create a special state guarantee fund or to follow the Austrian example by establishing a solidarity-based insurance system, with a proportional share of the insurance premium covered both by farmers and the state budget.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food, Ivan Kapitanov, provided updates on meetings held with the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Authority regarding the restrictions for airplane-based cloud seeding operations.
The Executive Director of ИАБГ, engineer Valeri Tsenov, delivered a report on climate change in Bulgaria and the trend towards increasing frequency of extreme weather events. He recalled that the current area protected from hail by rockets is 21.6 thousand square kilometers, covering the most hail-prone regions such as Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Pleven, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Sliven, and Haskovo. The Agency operates 262 rocket sites. Tsenov highlighted that the quality of the rockets used for hail suppression is high, as proven in international laboratories.
Minister Tahov briefed on the progress of the Campaign 2024 for direct payments, mentioning that the „complete applications“ button for agricultural producers in the Electronic Services System (СЕУ) of the State Fund „Agriculture“ is active. So far, more than 48,000 applications have been submitted with a declared area of 3.3 million hectares. An organization for the timely closure of the campaign has been established, as this affects the prompt disbursement of funds to producers, he added, as cited by BTA.
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