Farmers in the Kyustendil region continue to face a serious problem in irrigating their crops. The region, known for its fertile lands, has suffered from a shortage of water for agricultural activities for decades, reports BNT.
Instead of finding a solution over time, the problem is getting worse. Farmers are adamant that no attempts are even being made to solve the issue of water scarcity, despite the millions spent on the construction of the "Kyustendil" dam.
"The problem is behind us. Basically, this is the "Kyustendil" dam, it has been under construction for 40 years. Before the elections, everyone promises to complete it, because this dam can provide the entire region with irrigation, plus drinking water for the city. It is visible that there is not a drop of water, literally. There is not a drop of water, because the wall is at elevation 0, lower 0, it was built, millions were given and it is not finished. This is one of the problems. This is the emanation of the irrigation problem for us, for the region," shares one of the local producers.
According to farmers in the region, there are old water sources, but they are neglected and there are no canals leading to the plots. This forces producers to limit the cultivation of vegetables and focus more on cereals, which do not require so much irrigation.
"I grow mainly cereals and a few vegetables. There are few, for the simple reason that there is a problem with irrigation. And the problem lies mainly in the lack of infrastructure, which used to exist, but is currently neglected and destroyed. And the prices for irrigation are not that good. They are high for us, it depends on the crop, you pay per decare even if you maintain the wadis and canals yourself, so that the water comes to your properties and areas", explains another farmer.
Local producers say that technically there is water, but practically it cannot be used due to the lack of canals leading to the plots.
The problem with irrigation in the Kyustendil region is systemic and has been going on for decades. The infrastructure was built more than 30-40 years ago, but it has not been maintained. The canals have been plundered, and the microdams are not maintained.
"For one irrigation we have to pay about 40-50 leva per decare, given that we obtain water with pumps. We do not have the possibility of gravity irrigation, which increases the cost of production. The result is that over 50-60% of the vegetables on the Bulgarian market are imported. We cannot compete under these conditions with our colleagues from neighboring countries - European and non-European member states," one of the producers is categorical.
Last year's drought caused severe damage to farmers in the area. The lack of rain and the inability to irrigate have led to zero yields for many of them.
"Last summer was a disaster, due to the extremely dry year. We did not have the possibility of irrigation, we relied on the rains. But since there was none, many of our colleagues realized zero yields. Including for us it was a disaster. We simply hope that this year will be a little more favorable for the crops we grow. But we cannot rely on irrigation from the dams that exist," the producers share.
BNT has sought the position of "Irrigation Systems", from which they indicated that they will send a written response by the end of the day.