Watermelon growers in Bulgaria are leaving large quantities of their harvest in the fields because purchase prices have fallen so low that collecting the produce would bring them additional losses, BNT reported.
The problem is particularly visible in the Lyubimets region in southern Bulgaria, where watermelon production is a traditional source of income. Producers say imports and large retail markups are making it impossible for local farmers to compete, while some are refusing to harvest their crops to avoid further expenses.
“This year is a very sad sight. The main problem is not overproduction. The main problem, in my opinion, is uncontrolled imports and the huge markups that are passed on to the final consumer,” producer Yanko Yanev said.
He argued that a high-quality first-class watermelon grown in Lyubimets is being bought from farmers for just 12-13 cents per kilogram, while the price rises significantly before reaching consumers.
“It is impossible for a watermelon in Lyubimets, a quality watermelon, to be 12-13 cents. In Haskovo, which is 50 kilometers away, it is already 50 cents, and by the time it reaches Sofia, it becomes 1 euro. There is simply no way,” Yanev said.
According to the producer, the solution is not financial aid from the state, but stronger oversight of imports and the supply chain, including retail pricing practices.
“I do not want help from the state in the form of money. I simply want the state to play its role – to control imports and control what happens with these markups. Bulgarian agriculture has been left in a miserable state,” he said.
Yanev said he expects to leave around 150 tons of watermelons unharvested this season because selling them at current prices would not cover production costs.
“This year I am selling maybe about 60% of what I sold before. Within a year I will reduce production because I do not see any point in working. Nothing is being made. We are absolutely at a loss,” he said.
The producer also criticized what he described as unfair competition from informal markets and sellers who do not meet the same requirements as registered agricultural businesses.
“Until I see the state starting to play its role, to control the stores – whether they issue receipts and how they sell this watermelon – there is no way we can compete,” Yanev said.
He added that farmers operating legally face higher costs because they pay taxes and social security contributions, while illegal traders avoid such expenses.
“One establishment works with a cash register, marks its products and pays taxes, while another works illegally. There is no way we can fight if the state does not play its role,” Yanev said.