A drastic discrepancy between the purchase prices of milk and the prices of dairy products in retail chains is revealed by a report by the Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC). The regulator is starting a detailed inspection of retail chains to establish how markups and discounts are formed, bTV reports.
According to inspectors, Bulgarians consume some of the most expensive dairy products in the European Union, and consumers are complaining about the high prices. A survey in front of a retail chain shows: “Cheese, yellow cheese, things like that – are very expensive!“ and “Oh, everything is expensive in Bulgaria – not only dairy products.“
At the same time, livestock breeders like Todor Lapkov are already giving up production, because with a purchase price of less than one euro per liter, they remain at a loss. Todor Lapkov, who has a herd of 120 sheep and is the last livestock breeder in Tochilartsi, says: “If there was a way to support oneself from this, I would immediately start milking and giving milk. I used to give 200 liters a day!“
He adds that the hard work and the low purchase price are forcing producers to give up: “When you are killing yourself with work and are at a loss, you can't continue working. And that's why most people have already given up. They have moved on to other jobs – who will wash dishes abroad, who will look for another income.“
Zhelyo Boychev from the CPC commented: “Our dairy producers receive a price for their milk on average 10% lower than their colleagues in the EU. Why do Bulgarian citizens pay some of the highest prices when purchasing dairy products? At the same time, Bulgarian producers, Bulgarian processors are languishing!?“
The industry organizations of dairy producers and dairy processors are urgently calling on the state to intervene and implement a fairer distribution of European funds in order to guarantee a sustainable dairy industry and affordable prices for consumers.