SOFIA, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's Agriculture Minister Rumen Porozhanov on Tuesday called for a generational renewal to make European agriculture to be competitive.
Porozhanov said at a press conference after the informal meeting of European Union (EU) agriculture ministers held in Sofia that the main topic discussed in the meeting was attracting a new generation into the agricultural sector. For European agriculture to be competitive, there must be a generational renewal.
At present, less than 6 percent of farmers are under 35 years of age, 56 percent are over 55 in Bulgaria, according to the minister. The subject was much more complicated and this was a very serious challenge to the new Common Agricultural Policy of EU, he said.
He said instruments should be enabled to support young farmers and invest in innovation and technology to make the farming sector more attractive.
Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, who also addressed the meeting, said future strategic plans for European agriculture would include the policy that each member state would adopt in terms of generational renewal.
The meeting was on the agenda of Bulgaria's EU Council Presidency, which would end in the month.
