Browse Data and Analysis

The Bulgarian dairy industry developed successfully and made good progress in 2020. The total dairy herd increased by six percent, cow milk production grew by more than seven percent, and milk collection and processing also expanded.

FAS Sofia increases its estimate for wheat and barley crops to 7.2 million metric tons (MMT) and 700,000 MT, respectively, due to favorable spring weather leading to record yields.

In 2020 and 2021, Bulgaria made significant progress in the recovery of the national swine herd after African swine fever (ASF) hit the country in 2019.

Global lentil exports in 2020 jumped from $1 billion to $2.6 billion compared to the year before. Canada and Australia led the surge, accounting for more than three-fourths of the exports. Lentil exports peaked at $2.7 billion in 2015 but drifted lower through 2019, primarily due to reduced shipments from Canada to India and Turkey and from the United States to Canada and India.

Bulgarian rapeseed production is forecast to rebound in MY 2021/22. As of mid-July, the rapeseed harvest was 46 percent complete with reported yields exceeding earlier estimates and production projected to reach up to 360,000 MT.

Bulgaria’s poultry sector had a challenging year in MY 2020, with its continuous growth interrupted for the first time in ten years.

Food service sales at restaurants and hotels dropped significantly following COVID-related closures and Post does not expect full recovery before 2023.

FAS Sofia increases its estimate for wheat and barley crops due to favorable weather in April and May.

The 2020 census reveals that Bulgaria’s agricultural industry changed significantly during the first ten years of EU membership.

In late April, the Government of Bulgaria informed that most large commercial hog farms were once again eligible to ship pork meat to other European Union markets.

The U.S. Census Bureau’s bulk, intermediate, and consumer-oriented (BICO) export data tracks U.S. food and agricultural trade shipped directly to Bulgaria. However, it does not measure the substantial levels of the U.S. agricultural trade to Bulgaria...

FAS Sofia expects Bulgarian oilseed production to rebound in marketing year (MY) 2021/22.