6 June 2006 - On 30 May 2006, Gimel-Biopack, a Bulgarian-Dutch joint venture, opened a new factory for the packaging of organic fruits and vegetables in the village of Zvanichevo, Southern Bulgaria.
The 600,000 euro project was financed by the Netherlands Program for Co-operation with Countries in Eastern Europe. The funds were used on sorting and packaging equipment as well as refrigeration facilities.
Gimel-Biopack is 80%-owned by Oranjerii Gimel, with Dutch organic fruit and vegetables producer Eosta controlling the remaining equity.
The new facility, certified by German controlling agency BCS Oeko Garantie, will be available to other producers that wish to package their organic vegetables and fruit.
Doriana Milenkova, agricultural officer of the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Sofia, provided FLEXNEWS with some background on the operation.
She said that the Joint Venture between Gimel JSCo and Eosta BV was formed in the framework of the PSO 05/BG/1/3 Organic Glasshouse Vegetables from Bulgaria funded by EVD (PSOM programme). Furthermore, the sorting and packing systems and equipment is delivered by Aweta BV and Viskon BV.
Milenkova also told FLEXNEWS that a seminar entitled "Open Day on Organic Glasshouse Vegetable Production in Bulgaria" took place after the opening of the packaging site. It gave the opportunity to Gimel Biopack and the Dutch equipment suppliers to present their activities to Bulgarian horticultural producers, traders and consultants.