Bulgarian trade mission to Galesburg area planned

A Bulgarian agribusiness trade mission looks set to visit western Illinois.

The city of Galesburg and the Bulgarian Consulate in Chicago are planning the trip for this spring, The (Galesburg) Register-Mail reported. Fixed dates and the itinerary will be announced later.

Up to 20 Bulgarian businessmen are expected to visit the region and tour everything from seed and irrigation to livestock and machinery, said Galesburg's global strategies director, Gary Camarano.

“The region has a strong agribusiness industry cluster, and this will be a perfect way to present it potential partners in Bulgaria,” Camarano said.

Since the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria has sought to bolster its agribusiness sector.

In a statement announcing the visit, Bulgarian Consul General Simeon Stoilov praises Illinois as having some of the most productive farms in the United States. And he adds that is “obviously not just luck.”

“We'd like to see how American growers operate, and some of the products and services they use to obtain their success,” Stoilov said. “We would also like to share best practices and see if what we can learn from one another.”

The city said it will be recruiting regional businesses to present products and services to the trade mission.