The European Commission adopted its School Fruit Scheme implementation strategy for 2013/2014. Bulgaria will receive an extra 1 396 636 BGN, which makes EU funding reach 4 189 910 BGN. This is 50% more than the initially allocated budget. With the national co-financing, the budget will total 5 586 547 BGN.

Bulgaria petitioned for extra funding because it reached a high absorption rate in school year 2011/2012 and wanted to include more children in the programme. Bulgaria is among the EU countries with the highest per cent of overweight children and the lowest consumption of fruit and vegetables. The risk of cardiac arrests, diabetes and other malignant diseases is alarmingly high. The extra funds will guarantee the fulfillment of the main School Fruit Scheme goal – developing healthy eating habits among kids. More than 200 000 Bulgarian children are expected to participate in the scheme in 2013/2014.