Seminar for organic farmers from the Eastern Rhodopes

The opportunities for organic farmers from the Eastern Rhodopes in increasing production, markeing the necessary investments and finding markets through the creation of cooperation of producers have been thoroughly explained by Head of "Organic Farming" at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food - Diana Trifonova at seminar in Kardzhali on 6 October.

The seminar was organized by the "New Thracian Gold" project in the second edition of the Cooking Days in the Eastern Rhodopes.

Trifonova said that currently is in developing a new regulation for applying the rules of organic production of agricultural products and foods and control exercised over them, which will combine the current two ordinances. The goal is to regulate the rules for organic production on a national level. Regulations are made by an interagency working group involving all stakeholders, thereby ensuring openness and transparency of the policy. During the seminar, as well as in the breaks Diana Trifonova provided a lot of information and recommendations to producers, organic and in conversion, about application on various measures and programs. She emphasized that bio should strive to add value to their product - not only more production, but also storage, drying, processing, which would give them additional income. The seminar was attended by Veselka Vasileva Nelly Valeva, experts in "Organic Farming" at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food, who talked with farmers on issues related to the certification of organic production.

At the seminar, the expert Dirk-Hein Montan explained the standards of quality and hygiene in processing and manufacturing sesame tahini, which was very useful for the sesame producers in the area of Ivaylovgrad from the network of "New Thracian Gold".

The Dutch culinary expert Carolina Verhuven presented opportunities for preserving fruits and vegetables at home, using old recipes and techniques known from antiquity. Many of these recipes can be used by the hosts in guest houses in the area. People can exchange them to sell to visitors and tourists, and to organize group demonstrational cookings in the area. So in the words of Carolina they can create a "brand of the village."