Bulgarian-Swiss Project Shortens Farm-to-Table Process

Sofia, May 8 (BTA) - A Bulgarian-Swiss project has provided
eight mobile glass-door refrigerators to Bulgarian farmers
enabling them to deliver their products directly to consumers.
This is the beginning of a new type of farmers' markets in
Bulgaria after the model of markets in France, Austria, Italy,
Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Such mobile refrigerators are being used for the first time at a
 national sheep-breeders' convention near the St Peter and St
Paul Monastery in Veliko Turnovo Region, northern Bulgaria,
between May 8 and 10, says the team of the project, which is
called "For the Balkan Range and the People." The equipment is
being used by a family from the Karlovo area in central Bulgaria
 who are offering yogurt from buffalo's and cow's milk and
cheese from rare breeds of milk-producing animals.

The commercial refrigerators have been supplied from France.
They can be attached to cars or vans to be pulled as trailers.
They will be used by farmers in the western and central parts of
 the Balkan Range.

The project is aimed at aligning animal husbandry with the
protection and maintenance of pastures in Bulgarian protected
areas within Europe's NATURA 2000 network. It has been shown
that it is possible to do business in protected areas, and that
carefully preserved nature brings revenues for the local people
and benefits for all, the Bulgarian-Swiss project team said.