Bulgaria's agriculture ministry has put a draft decree on emergency aid for public comment, it said. The aid is for farmers whose fertiliser costs rose because of the crisis in the Middle East.
The European Agricultural Guarantee Fund is giving Bulgaria €11,615,100. Under EU rules, the state can add its own money, up to 200% of the EU amount, or up to €23,230,200.
The full name of the act is the Decree on the Terms and Rules for Granting Emergency Financial Aid to Farmers Hit by Specific Problems From the Middle East Crisis That Affect Their Economic Viability. It sets national rules for supporting producers whose fertiliser costs have gone up.
The aid covers fruit and vegetables, including those grown in greenhouses, as well as grapes, oil-bearing roses, potatoes and cultivated mushrooms. The list includes tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines, onions, garlic, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, raspberries, strawberries, watermelons, melons, plums, apricots, apples, pears, sweet cherries, sour cherries, peaches, table and wine grapes, roses and cultivated mushrooms.
Farmers can get the aid if their land with these crops is recognised as eligible under the "Basic income support for sustainability" scheme for the 2026 campaign. Mushroom growers must also meet extra conditions. They must be registered under Decree No. 3 of 1999 as cultivated mushroom producers on the survey form for the 2025/2026 farming year. If an on-site check was made for the 2025 "de minimis" aid, their areas must have been recognised as eligible.
The payment covers only part of the fertiliser costs in 2026. It does not depend on how much a farmer produces or on the sale price. The amount is set per unit of area, either per hectare or per square metre, depending on the crop.
The EU money must reach eligible applicants by 28 February 2027. The national top-up will be paid by 31 May 2027, if the State Fund "Agriculture" has money in its budget.
Last week, guidelines were approved for the state aid "Support for farmers in primary agricultural production in connection with the crisis in the Middle East". They started the administrative procedure for the so-called "Iran aid", which has a total budget of up to €170m.