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.
