Bulgarian products are not available in grocery stores in Paris. This discouraging finding comment was made by Bulgaria’s Ambassador in Paris, Marin Raikov, at the opening of the Bulgarian stand at the International Agricultural Show in Paris late last week.
The forty-ninth edition of the Salon International de L’Agriculture 2012 was opened by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. This is the largest exhibition of its kind in Europe (this year it was attended by 1,140 manufacturers). It has always attracted the French politicians who, sipping wine and munching on cheese, converge with the electorate. Farmers represent 8 percent of the electorate and will certainly be courted by all the main contenders for the Elysee Palace.
The exhibition will continue until 4 March and is expected to attend at least 650,000 visitors. Our country is presented with an exhibition situated on 100 square metres. Ambassador Raikov advised Bulgarian producers to maintain high product quality in order to enter not only the French but also other European markets. The presentation of our country in this exhibition is very important because this way we position ourselves on the agricultural map of Europe, said Sofia Ambassador to Paris. In a world of food shortage, we have potential for more production and establish ourselves on these markets. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Svetlana Boyanova arrived for the opening of the exhibition. She recalled that recently the French Minister of Culture Mitterrand Frederic announced that his favourite dish is the Bulgarian cold soup tarator. In this regard, she pointed out that Bulgarian culinary products can enter the records of the UNESCO World Heritage Site along with Bulgarian folk culture, traditional songs, dances and crafts. France for example, already has made its cuisine protected by UNESCO. The Bulgarian stand this year presented the Gornooryahovski sausage, which is already recognized by the EU as a traditional Bulgarian product. Singers and dancers from the folk ensemble Bulgarian rhythms – Sofia took care of the mood of visitors.
Organizers of the Bulgarian presentation are the Ministry of Agriculture and Food as well as the Embassy of Bulgaria in Paris. The official programme of the Salon named the second day of March as the Day of Bulgaria.
Our food industry can learn much from France in the filed of financing the livestock breeding sector. Mr. Raikov reminded that French farmers receive almost half of the funds allocated in EU on agriculture. The presence of Bulgaria in this very prestigious event and more advertising of its products can pave the way for its agricultural products to European markets, optimistically predict the organizers of Bulgaria’s exhibition.
