Conditions and challenges to dairy sector in Bulgaria

1. Conditions and challenges to dairy sector in Bulgaria Atanas Kiskinov National Dairy Board Co-financed by the European Union within the programme "Europe for Citizens" 2007 – 2013 НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

2. National Dairy Board - structure • General Assembly • Board of Directors • Executive Director • General administration • Administration with specific functions Eight Regional Dairy Boards: Sliven, Plovdiv, Kyrdjali, Blagoevgrad, Vratsa, Pleven, Ruse, Dobritch НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

3. Representation and support of its members’ interests before the governmental and non-governmental institutions, organizations and other parties. - Co-operation, assistance and information exchange among its members - NDB give consultancies and carries out informational campaigns upon implementation of Bulgarian and European legislation in dairy sector, upon the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 - Gives proposals to the Minister of Agriculture and Foods concerning allocation of financial aid for milk producing - Carries out activities for the purpose of increasing Bulgarian dairy farms competitiveness - Collects and summarizes information coming from the Regional Boards and if necessary NDB notifies the government and asks for dairy market interventions National Dairy Board tasks НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

4. National DAIRY Board takes part: • In drawing-up and implementation of dairy sector strategic plans; • In drawing-up of dairy sector annual reports • In developing of legislation concerning dairy sector НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

5. Allocation of milk producing farms НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

6. Decrease in overall number of milking animals in Bulgaria • Jan 1st 2008– decrease of the total number of animals in milking farms in relation to the same period of the previous year: • Dairy cows decrease 2,8% (332,9 thousand cows), • Milking sheep decrease 6,2% (1 189,8 thousand sheep), • Milking goats decrease 7,8% (411,7 thousand goats) At the end of 2008 total number of milking animals decreased 2,5% in relation to the end of 2007 and the number is about 1 822,5 thousand. Източник: МЗХ НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

7. Farms groups by legislation • First group (category) • Meet veterinary-sanitary requirements for establishment and equipment • Produce milk with the following indicatior: Total Bacteria Count < 100 000/ml Somatic Cell Count < 400 000/ml • Second group (category) - Meet veterinary-sanitary requirements for establishment and equipment • Produce milk with indicators over Total Bacteria Count < 100 000/ml Somatic Cell Count < 400 000/ml • Third (category) • DO NOT meet veterinary-sanitary requirements for establishment and equipment • Produce milk with indicators over Total Bacteria Count < 100 000/ml Somatic Cell Count < 400 000/ml НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

8. Източник: МЗХ НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

9. Dairy sector trends • Increase in the number of the First group farms and decrease of Second group farms (passing from Second to First). There is no active efforts for passing from Third group to First and Second. • Bigger farms – increase in the average number of animals per farm • Decrease in total number of milking animals in Bulgaria • Decrease in total quantity of milk produced in Bulgaria - 7.7% down in relation to the previous year НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

10. Dairy processing companies (DPC) in Bulgaria НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

11. Dairy products foreign trade НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

12. Milk and dairy products import, tons НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

13. Milk and dairy products export, tons НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

14. Dairy sector opportunities • Improvement of produced milk quality • Extension of farms’ capacity • Implementation of new technologies and genetics practices • BIO-Agriculture development • Development and launching of new dairy products • Positioning and promotion of new dairy products • Improvement and strengthening the connection between milk producers and dairy processors • Improvement of management knowledge and abilities, as well as the effectiveness, of dairy farms and dairy companies • Opportunities of Rural Development Programme • Structural switch to milk-sheep-breeding, milk-goat-breeding, milk-buffalo-breeding • Legal protection of traditionalli specified products НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

15. Dairy sector threats • High number of small and uncompetitive farms • Decrease in number of farms • Import competitive pressure • Low rate of waste conversion solutions • Low productiveness, low level of genetics used in the farms • Decrease of overall milk production • Serious differences in raw milk quality • High expenses concerning quality control in farms • Lots of farms will die for not meeting the hygiene requirements • Economical instability decreases the farmers’ willingness to invest and improve milk quality • Poor management knowledge and abilities in farms – high expenses • Low consumers’ purchasing capacity • Social risks concerning the owners and employees of the closed farms НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

16. Troubles • Government cannot answer effectively to the dairy sector crisis • There are not clear priorities and goals of the state financial aid – even farms not meeting the requirements gain financial support • Slow and ill-working cow milk quota system • Long delay in establishment of specialized laboratories for raw milk quality control • Bank credit crisis – impacts on the process of gaining support through the Rural Development Programme • Usage of plant fat and other supplements in traditional products which leads to loss of trust on the Bulgarian and foreign market. НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

17. Opportunities • Measures for making it easier for the dairy farms to gain bank credits. • Developing of new dairy products, promotion and common efforts for expanding the dairy market • Prolonging the transitional period after 2009 for farms working on projects under Rural Development Programme • Differentiation in financial support between business-oriented big farms and small farms (socially significant) • Development of integral strategic plan for dairy sector development with the active participation of branch organizations НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД

18. Thank you for your attention!Contacts:E-mail: office@nmb.bgТel: 02/942 1999 НАЦИОНАЛЕН МЛЕЧЕН БОРД