THE positive part of the trade balance in agriculture in 2002 was twice as big as in the previous year, according to the annual report on the condition and development of agriculture.

It was issued by the Agriculture Ministry on December 10 this year and was discussed by the Government shortly after that. Exports of agricultural products in 2002 exceeded imports by $240 million.

The rate at which the exports increased was twice as high as the rate at which imports went up, the reports said.

The export of agricultural goods increased by almost 41 per cent in 2002 and imports increased by 16.6 per cent, compared to 2001.

The gross added value, created by agriculture and the industries connected with it, was 3.6 billion leva. Its growth compared to the previous year was 5.1 per cent.

The value of the gross agricultural product in 2002 was 7.4 billion leva, calculated by basic prices. Of this, 46.6 per cent came from growing plants, which was 3.5 billion leva, ànd 32.4 per cent came from cattle breeding.

The Agriculture Ministry identified as its main objective for 2004 the completion of negotiations on the Agriculture Chapter, the report said.

Among its priorities were also the creation of the necessary conditions for practical redistribution of agricultural land and the reduction of the amount of deserted land and land that is not cultivated.

A week after the report was issued, the Agriculture Ministry and the National Veterinary Service organised a round table discussion on the restructuring of the food industry.

Representatives of industry associations of the meat, fish, milk, poultry and honey processing business were also invited to the discussion. They were briefed on the commitments Bulgaria was expected to make in pre-accession negotiations with the EU with regard to the Agriculture Chapter. They were told that some of the food enterprises that did not meet the requirements of the EU should be closed down.