Plovdiv Municipal Council Chair Reports Progress in Talks for Agrofoodtech Park

Ilko Nikolov, Chairman of the Municipal Council in Bulgaria's southern city of Plovdiv, has said that the talks for the establishment of an agriculture and food technologies cluster "Agrofoodtech" are progressing well.

Speaking Thursday during a conference on organic farming within the International Agricultural Exhibition AGRA 2013, he made clear that Agrofoodtech would be a hi-tech park including organic producers, laboratories, a consultancy center, a logistic center, a standards information center, a coordinating center for research into new plant varieties, breeds, and methods, a meteorological center, and an anti-hail station.

Nikolov, as cited by investor.bg, added that the cluster would also include a number of municipalities and associations.

During the conference, the organizers announced that an international network aimed at promoting organic farming was being created.

Mariana Ivanova, Deputy Rector of the University of Agribusiness and Rural Development in Plovdiv made clear that the network would be used to encourage businesses to invest in the sector and enhance the exchange of best practices for organic food marketing.

Dimitar Dimitrov, Rector of the Plovdiv-based University of Agribusiness and Rural Development, argued that Bulgaria had to make clean foods its trade mark, just like Germany had done with Mercedes.

"This is our niche on the global market because humans cannot survive without them," he stated, as cited by plovdivutre.bg.

Dimitrov called for support for all involved in the production of clean organic products, stressing that the sector would gain increasing impact on the economic development of the country.

The International Agricultural Exhibition AGRA 2013 ends on March 9 and visitors of the expo can buy organic honey, wine, bread, and a range of other clean food products made in Bulgaria.

The expo brings together over 420 exhibitors from 20 countries showcasing advanced agricultural technologies and equipment.