Orchard owners from Kumishte seek state aid after Strumica fire on 22 August
About 400 decares of plums, cherries and walnuts burned on 22 August; owners must uproot 6–8 year-old trees and replant in spring.
Orchard owners from the Kumishte area, whose land was hit by the large fire on 22 August near Strumica, are asking the state for financial support or other assistance because their losses are substantial.
Farmers say roughly 400 decares of orchards planted with plums, cherries and walnuts were either burned or otherwise ruined by the flames. Many of the damaged trees are relatively young: the owners now plan to pull up trees aged 6 to 8 years and replant in spring.
Scale of the damage and the farmers' request
Those affected point out that the land where they will replant has been obtained under lease from the state, which adds urgency to their demand for help to recover production and meet the costs of removing burned trees and preparing new plantings.
Among the most heavily hit is Aco Stoilkov, who lost about 230 decares of plum trees to the blaze. Part of his planted area had still been bearing fruit when the fire reached it; today he is left without both the current crop and the trees themselves.
Stoilkov estimates his loss at around half a million euros. Farmers in the area are calling on the authorities to outline concrete relief measures so they can plan replanting and avoid long-term income loss.
Photo: СДК.МК)
