International Green Week Berlin 2018, 19 to 28 January 2018 - Dual role for Bulgaria

8 November 2017

At the beginning of 2018, when Bulgaria takes over the presidency of the EU Council and the role of partner country at the forthcoming International Green Week Berlin, it will be hoping for an important boost to its farming industry. Taking as its slogan ’Flavour of the Sun’ and occupying all of Hall 10.2 on the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, the country situated between Balkan mountain ranges and the Black Sea will be offering an experience for all the senses. The 83rd Green Week since the fair’s launch in 1926 will take place from 19 to 28 January 2018.

Nature, hospitality and an authentic culinary experience

Bulgaria is known for its stunning landscapes, from majestic mountains to the beautiful Black Sea. However, it is people’s hospitality that above all makes this country so popular. That is something that visitors to the Green Week 2018 can find out for themselves on Bulgaria’s trade fair stands where ancient traditions will come alive. Authentic customs will recall the past, and new, as yet undiscovered tourism destinations will be presented. Bulgaria’s hosts will give visitors a glimpse of the country’s way of life and exhibit tasty and ecologically sustainable foods which have been enjoyed for centuries.

Bulgaria produces food that tastes authentic, which it is aiming to market to more and more European consumers. The reason these products are special has a lot to do with Bulgaria’s history, geographical location, climate and its hospitality. Bulgaria’s exhibitors are confident that visitors will be easily convinced by their natural-tasting products.

As a member of the big European family Bulgaria is particularly concerned with maintaining food safety. No concessions are made In this respect or with regard to food quality. Bulgarian products satisfy every requirement in terms of taste and nutritional values, which makes them very important for European consumers. This attention to quality is also noticeable in winegrowing, which is a long-established industry in Bulgaria. Its wines boast a characteristic taste and are well known to many consumers in Germany.

What Bulgaria has to offer at the Green Week

Visitors to Bulgaria’s displays in Hall 10.2 will be able to find out about the country’s culture and way of life, its traditional local cuisine and enjoy folk performances and other attractions. During the Green Week exhibitors will present traditional, high-quality and eco-friendly Bulgarian products which in recent years have established themselves on the world market. Among them are fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, a variety of cheeses, meat and dairy specialities, wines and other foods. The range of products comprises many famous Bulgarian brands.

Bulgarian organic products have become an important market which many farmers are investing in. Small, family-run farmsteads are selling products that contain Bulgaria’s ’flavour of the sun’. Tasty pink tomatoes, for example, are very popular with many German consumers. Tomatoes are a vital ingredient in a traditional shopska salad, as are peppers, onions and gherkins, whose taste is unrivalled in Europe. The most important ingredient in a good shopska salad is grated white cheese.

Bulgarian yoghurt is also very tasty, with vital nutritious ingredients, among them the unique lactobacillus bulgaricus. People who eat it are said to live longer. In many Bulgarian villages modern dairy farms exist which produce yoghurt, cheeses, and a type of hard cheese with a distinct taste. These are products which are popular as far away as Japan, whose citizens are known to aspire to a healthy lifestyle and living in harmony with nature.

Bulgaria supports its local farming industry

In Bulgaria farming areas are generally small. However, in order to achieve higher profits and yields and to increase farmers’ incomes a process is under way to amalgamate farmland. Grassland cattle farming, meat production and dairy cow farming are experiencing economic growth. Other areas such as wheat production contribute significantly to the economy. Modern, state-of-the-art farming machinery is used in order to maximise harvests. Bulgarian farming policy protects local farmers’ interests by state-subsidising key agricultural sectors. At the same time a variety of development programmes also ensure farmers receive EU funds

Since Bulgaria’s accession to the EU the investment climate has improved and quite a few foreigners have taken the opportunity to do business in Bulgaria. The results can be seen in winegrowing, where wine cellars are a long-established industry. Bulgaria is a country which is actively participating in the liberalisation and globalisation of world trade. The food industry faces challenges which the government is confronting by actively supporting this sector, and at the International Green Week the fruits of these activities will be on display.

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