STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY Emilia Christova – Head of MSAF Ivanovo

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY Region – Roussenski Lom Vetovo, Ivanovo and Tsar Kaloian sector – plant-growing period – 2004 – 2007 sources of information

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY 1. Characterizations of the Roussenski Lom soils Prevail lyed black earth (chernozems) According to their reaction soils are neutral to slightly acid REACTION OF SOILS LEGEND: 1-Alkaline; 2-Slightly alkaline; 3-Slightly alkaline to neutral; 4-Neutral; 5-Neutral to slightly acid; 6-Slightly acid; 7-Mid acid; 8-Highly acid.

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY 1. Characterizations of Roussenski Lom soils - continuation By their mechanical composition are met from slightly sandy to heavy sandy - clay soils with textural coefficient to 1,3 and over 1,3 MECHANICAL COMPOSITION OF SOILS. LEGEND: 1-Clayey-sandy; 2-Slightly sandy-clayey; 3-Mid sandy-clayey texture coefficient up to 2; 4-Mid sandy-clayey texture coefficient over 2; 5-Heavy sandy-clayey texture coefficient up to 1,3; 6-Heavy sandy-clayey texture coefficient over 1,3; 7-Clayey; 8-Stony /frame/

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY Regarding the chemical properties lyed black earth (chernozems) are one of the richest with organic substances ones. - Good biological avtivity.. - The nitrogen content is comparatively high – over 0,15 %. - Common phosphorus reserves are determined to a great extent from the extent of claying and from the character of the soil-forming rock. Richest are soils, formed over loess and loess-kind alluviums. Average reserves - more than 0,1 % tо 0,2 %. Potassium content is over 1,6 to 2 %. Great biogene accumulation of manganese. They are stocked with copper and zinc. 2. System for identification of agricultural plots From the cultivable lands over 90% are identified. That means, that these areas farmers will receive direct payments and national additional payments. Not all stock-breeders declared all of their animals and all plots, meeting the requirements for pastures and common pastures, can not be assimilated. The reason for this was the lack of technical time to organise themselves and the lack of trust between them. It is expected, during the next two years of our accession, farmers to receive subsidies for pastures and common pastures for the bred from them animals.

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY 2. MUNICIPALITY OF VETOVO Cultivable lands on the VETOVO municipality territory are with area of decares. Of them, fields amount to decares and are 83,7 %. Perennial plantations are with area of decares and represents 1,2 % from total areas. Mixed landuse – decares or 3,1 %. Pastures, meadows and common pastures – decares or 11 % and other farming and non-farming areas – decares or 1 %. LEGEND : 1 – FIELDS ; 2 – PERENNIAL PLANTATIONS ; 3 –CONSTANTLY GRASSED AREAS; 4 – OTHER FARMING AND NON-FARMING AREAS; 5 – MIXED LANDUSE.

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY MUNICIPALITY OF VETOVO SOWN AREAS: PERENNIAL PLANTATIONS Perennial plantation kind SOWN AREAS / decaresh / VINES-WINE816,8 VINES – DESSERT 44,8 APPLES154 PLUMS124,8 CHERRIES120 MORELLO13 TOBACCO – ORIENTAL: Economical year SOWN AREAS / decares / TOBACCO On the municipality territory are grown mainly: wheat, barley, rape, sunflower and maize. The family gardens and perennial plantations are not of significant importance for the region. Municipality is typical with growing of oriental tobacco, but with every passed economic year, areas with oriental tobacco decrease. The reasons for this are the low buy up costs, as well as the getting older population, but should not be neglected also the drought, as an important natural element.

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY MUNICIPALITY OF VETOVO SOWN AREAS: WITH AUTUMN CROPS Crop SOWN AREAS / decares / WHEAT BARLEY OIL-YIELDING RAPE Economic year WITH SPRING CROPS Economic Crop year SOWN AREAS / decares / SUNFLOWER MAIZE FAMILY GARDENS – potatoes, watermelons, melons, beans, lentils, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and peas – with total area of decares

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY 3. MUNICIPALITY OF IVANOVO : Cultivable lands on the IVANOVO municipality territory are with area of decares. Of them fields amount to decares and represent 74,5 %. Perennial plantations are with area of ,1 decares and represent 3,2 % from the total area. Mixed landuse – decares or 4,8 %. Meadows, pastures and common lands – decares or 12,5 % and other farming or non-farming areas – decares or 5 %. LEGEND : 1 – FIELDS ; 2 – PERENNIAL PLANTATIONS; 3 – CONSTANTLY GRASSED AREAS; 4 – OTHER FARMING AND NON- FARMING AREAS; 5 – MIXED LANDUSE.

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY MUNICIPALITY OF IVANOVO SOWN AREAS: WITH AUTUMN CROPS Economic year WITH SPRING CROPS 02600TRITICALE OIL-YIELDING RAPE BARLEY WHEAT SOWN AREAS / decares / Crop Economic Crop year SOWN AREAS / decares / SUNFLOWER MAIZE CORIANDER REZENE WHITE THISTLE LUCERNE OATS

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY MUNICIPALITY OF IVANOVO SOWN AREAS: FAMILY GARDENS – potatoes, watermelons, melons, beans, lentils, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and peas – with total area of decares PERENNIAL PLANTATIONS Kind of perennial plantation SOWN AREAS /decares/ VINES-WINE1 687 VINES–DESSERT490 APPLES40 PEACHES+APRICO TS 911 MORELLOS120 STRAWBERRIES2 VINE SEED-BEDS – 159 decares

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY 4. MUNICIPALITY OF TSAR KALOIAN Cultivable lands on the TSAR KALOIAN municipality territory are with area of decares. Of them fields amount to decares and represent 82 %. Perennial plantations are with area of 409 decares and represent 0,3 % of the total area. Mixed landuse – decares or 4,9 %. Meadows, pastures and common lands – decares or 11 % and other farming and non-farming areas – decares or 1,8 %. LEGEND : 1 – FIELDS ; 2 – PERENNIAL PLANTATIONS; 3 – CONSTANTLY GRASSED AREAS; 4 – OTHER FARMING AND NON-FARMING AREAS; 5 – MIXED LANDUSE.

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY MUNICIPALITY OF TSAR KALOIAN: SOWN AREAS: WITH AUTUMN CROPS WITH SPRING CROPS Economic Crop year SOWN AREAS / decares / WHEAT BARLEY OIL-YIELDING RAPE TRITICALE03200 Economic Crop year SOWN AREAS / decares / SUNFLOWER MAIZE LUCERNE REZENE WHITE THISTLE YELLOW POPPY101080

STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY MINICIPALITY OF TSAR KALOIAN SOWN AREAS: FAMILY GARDENS – potatoes, watermelons, melons, beans, lentils, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and peas – with common area of 446 decares PERENNIAL PLANTATIONS TOBACCO - ORIENTAL: Kind of the perennial plantation SOWN AREAS /decares / VINES-WINE1 404 VINES–DESSERT273 APPLES35 Economical year SOWN AREAS / decares / TOBACCO

15 5. As a conclusion of the shown data in the tables above, could be drawn some common deductions about the state of agriculture on the Natural Park “Roussenski Lom”territory: At the territories of the three Municipalities are grown mainly: wheat, barley, rape, sunflower and maize. For municipality of Ivanovo the perennial plantations are of significant importance for the region. During the last two economical years on the territory was created one new plum orchard with area of over than 100 decares and vine massifs with total area of 400 decares. There are traditions for growing of vine seedlings. For the municipalities of Vetovo and Tsar Kaloian is not typical growing of great massifs of perennial plantations. In the municipality of Ivanovo tobacco is not grown, but on it’s account in the municipalities of Vetovo and Kaloianovo it is grown. With each passing year is noticed more and more significant decrease of areas sown with oriental tobacco. Reasons for this are the low purchase costs, as well as the getting older population, but there should not be neglected also the drought, as an important nature element. There is still not declared the use of meadows along the Roussenski Lom river valley, because of the great number of meadows owners with areas of properties up to decares, but the forthcoming determination of the NATURA 2000 zonesand the forthcoming additional payments under the National Rural Development Plan could motivate owners to declare them. STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY

16 Registered under Ordinance № 3 agricultural producers are increasing with every year. While for: the MUNICIPALITY OF IVANOVO during 2005 they have been 337 persons, for persons, but for 2007 they are already 392. The registered producers are mainly plant-growers, but is noticed also raising of the bee-keepers number, who to receive additional payments for qualitative honey are required to be registered like agricultural producers. The MUNICIPALITY OF VETOVO during 2005 they have been 198 persons, but for 2007 they already are 266 persons. Registered producers are mainly plant-growers, but is noticed a raising of stock-breeding farms number. The MUNICIPALITY OF TSAR KALOIAN during 2005 they have been 161 persons, for , and for 2007 they have become 182 persons. The registered producers are mainly plant-growers, but is noticed also a raising of the stock-breeding farms number. Plant-growers, cultivating lands with areas up to 100 decares recently were in the “gray” economy, but after the our country EU accession, these producers realized the advantage of their own registration. Not insignificant influence exert also the Euro-subsidies for grown production area unit, and also the national additional payments. STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY

6. Conclusions and trends for Roussenski Lom: for the Roussenski Lom region the mainly grown crops are wheat, sunflower, barley, maize, rape and lucerne; In the Rousse district, there are already built production outfits, meeting the EU requirements for processing of energy/power crops - rapeand sunflower. This would lead to increasing of the sown with energy/power crops areas. The meadows use is not sustainable - great percentage of them are abandoned and hardly accessible, by the reason of their strong weeding. Often met practice is the graze of flocks and herds in the meadows around Lomovete. observing the GFP could be guaranteed only after raising of agricultural culture of farmers. Crops rotation is still not observed. it is noticed a trend for decreasing of burnt stubbles. Agriculture is intensive, but it is expected farmers to begin using of the EU approved fertilizers. Econoimical crisis has affected the labour force also in agriculture - farm labour is unattractive, because of the low payment and the campaign nature of farm work. Usually, the farmers use labour force under the employment programs

18 the landuse is done mainly from leaseholders tenant farmers of the farmlands. there is noticed a trend for landuse of farmers, possessing inherited lands about 100 decares; The problem with land fragmentation is expexted to be resolved partially with the validated in February 2007 Addition to the Law for the lease in agriculture, by which one of the heirs of individed lands has the right to lease the possessed by heritage lands without requirement for agreement from the rest of the others, with sustaining of all assets and liabilities of this. СИЗП exerts great importance over the correct declaring in use of farmlands - one farmer can declare, that he use a certain property, but in the ground, the same one, after a steep slope or other factors, to disable cultivation. From cultivable lands over 90 % are identified. This means, that these areas farmers will receive direct payments and national additional payments. Not all of the stock-breeders declared all of their animals and all areas, meeting the requirements for pastures and common lands, could not be assimilated. The reason for this was the lack of technical time to become organized and the lack of trust between them. It is expected during the next two years of our accession farmers to receive subsidies for pastures and common lands for the bred from them animals. payments per area unit (PAU) will exert motivating influence over the landuse for restoration of deserted for a long time lands. STATE OF THE PLANT-GROWING ON THE ROUSSENSKI LOM TERRITORY