‘Bulgaria will defend the interests of its rose and lavender producers before the European Commission,’ Minister of Agriculture and Food Dr. Miroslav Naydenov said at the opening of the 2013 International Green Week (IGW), the world’s biggest fair for the food, agricultural and horticultural industries held in Berlin.

‘I commit to seeking a meeting with the new Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, Tonio Borg, to make him familiar with our stance on the report banning the ingredients geraniol in rose oil and linalool and lanolin in lavender oil, which are contained in the natural distillate of these products,’ the minister added.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food will join forces with the Ministry of Health to come up with a joint stance on the matter.

Bulgaria is the world’s largest rose oil and lavender oil maker, churning out 1,500 and 100 tonnes, respectively. The country has 2100 rose producers who grow 38,000 decares. The bulk of the rose oil is exported to the USA, France, South Korea and Japan, whereas lavender oil is sold mostly in Germany, Hungary, France, China, Austria, Spain and the Netherlands.