Japanese Agriculture Minister Fan of Bulgarian Yogurt

Japan is very interested in importing chicken meat from Bulgaria, Agriculture Minister, Miroslav Naydenov, announced Tuesday.

Naydenov, who is in Japan with the official Bulgarian delegation, led by Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, met with the Japanese Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Michihiko Kano.

Japan had to slaughter many of its chicken over the avian flu and there is currently a shortage of poultry products on the Japanese market.

According to Naydenov, Japan will make the decision to offer Bulgarian chicken meat in the country's stores in just days. The authorities from the Bulgarian National Veterinary Service are currently processing the sanitary files, which are to be sent to Japan ASAP in order to speed up the decision.

The Bulgarian Minister further offered his Japanese counterpart products such as feta cheese and kashkaval (Bulgarian yellow cheese), in addition to the yogurt, which is already popular in Japan.

Kano, who received an invitation to visit Bulgaria to gain first-hand knowledge of the feta and kashkaval production, said that for the last 20 years he begins all his days with a cup of Bulgarian yogurt.

Earlier Tuesday, Naydenov took part in a Bulgarian-Japanese business forum where it became clear there is strong interest towards Bulgarian wine and rose oil, which is currently the hype in Japan where it is used not only in cosmetics, but in the production of candy and pastries.