Our country is betting on aromatic crops - lavender and roses

The Bulgarian stand at the international agricultural exhibition was opened yesterday by the Minister of Agriculture and Food, Desislava Taneva. This year, Bulgaria is participating for the fifth time in the International Agricultural Exhibition in Paris, which is being held from 21.02 to 01.03.2015. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is organizing a Bulgarian national stand at the exhibition, to which nine companies and associations offering products in the following priority areas have been invited: wines, organic essential oil products, organic bee products and honey, organic dairy and meat products. The most impressive product is homemade chocolate with rose petals. Guests can also enjoy duck delicacies, organic wine, natural sweets, and rose water. Visitors can also try cosmetic products made from organic roses and lavender. According to Taneva, aromatic crops will be a priority during the new programming period of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 and will receive financial support of 405 or 557 euros per hectare, depending on the type of farming (organic or in transition).

The Ministry of Agriculture covers the costs related to renting exhibition space, designing and building the stand, and renting equipment, furnishings, as well as everything else related to the adopted concept for the vision and functionality of the stand. The companies that have applied to participate in the international exhibition cover the costs of accommodation and stay for their company representatives, insurance of exhibits, and additional services themselves.

SIA

The International Exhibition is one of the most significant in the field of agriculture and food. Annually, over 50 countries present their own products on national stands in Paris. Initially, SIA started as a regional French livestock fair, but it gradually established itself in all other spheres of agriculture, including gastronomy and the training of agricultural personnel.

According to data from last year, over 700,000 visitors are expected. An increasing presence of young people engaged in agricultural production is observed. "I hope that our exhibition will attract more and more of the younger generation, who realize that the consequences of their decisions today determine the future of agriculture," shares Jean-Luc Poulain, the exhibition director.