Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil (left) and State Agriculture Fund CEO Dimitar Tadarakov announced Bulgaria is to receive EUR 18 M for vineyard restructuring. Photo by Yuliana Nikolova (Sofia Photo Agency)
Bulgaria is to receive about EUR 18 M in 2008 under the EU programme for restructuring and conversion of vineyards, Agriculture Minister Nihat Kabil announced Wednesday.
Until now, there are 65 projects applying for European money but the deadline set on February 19 may be extended in case the fund is not going to be assimilated completely, the minister told reporters after a meeting with State Agriculture Fund CEO Dimitar Tadarakov.
The program of the European Commission was adopted in 1999 and gives the right to EU members to obtain annual payments for restructuring and conversion of a set number of hectares of vineyards
The objective of the system is the adaptation of production to market demands and covers measures such as varietal conversion, relocation of vineyards and improvements to vineyard management techniques.