Browse Data and Analysis

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

Bulgaria’s grocery retail sector has remained stable and vital despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the galloping inflation, and the war in Ukraine. Grocery retail sales rose year-on-year by 2.8 percent in 2021 and 4.8 percent in 2022 as compared to the previous years.

As a European Union (EU) Member State, Bulgaria applies EU regulatory requirements for all animal- and plant-origin food and agricultural imports.

Bulgaria acceded to the European Union (EU) in 2007 and follows EU directives and regulations pertaining to food safety, quality and standards.

FAS/Sofia’s marketing year (MY) 2023/24 sunflower production estimate is lowered to 1.7 million metric tons (MMT) based on the final harvest data. The sunflower crop suffered from severe and prolonged summer drought and high heat which reduced yields considerably.

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 routed through Western European ports of entry. According to BICO, U.S. suppliers shipped $28.1 million of U.S. food and agriculture to Bulgaria in 2021.

Bulgaria’s poultry sector had a recovery period in marketing year (MY) 2021 with slight growth. Despite sharply increased feed prices, the pandemic’s negative impact on the hospitality and tourism sectors has waned and the export market has slightly improved. This led to an increase in poultry inventory, and higher poultry and broiler meat output.

The Bulgarian dairy industry faced significant challenges in Marketing Year (MY) 2021 with the national dairy herd, cow milk production and collection, as well as processing contracting. A dry and hot summer, combined with increasing feed grain prices, inflation pressure (especially of energy supply), and a labor deficit led to a decline in the number of dairy farms and stocks. Consolidation and restructuring of the industry continued through the dominating role of larger, more efficient dairy operations.

The Government of Bulgaria (GOB) continues to oppose agricultural biotechnology and supports anti-biotech policy initiatives within the European Commission (EC). Non-governmental anti-biotech organizations, local activists, and Bulgaria’s organics industry actively spread nonscientific disinformation about biotechnology.