Bulgaria: Organic Sector and Trade Update
Organic farming in Bulgaria has thrived driven by improved export demand in the EU market, excellent production subsidies, and favorable governmental policy. Despite the dynamic development, however, the share of organic farming remains small. The land under organic farming grew almost fourfold in 2015 vs 2010, and reached 2.4 percent of all utilized agricultural land but organic food sales are less than one percent of total food sales due to low purchasing power of consumers. Over 80 percent of local organic products are exported while most organic foods on the market actually come from imports. Bulgaria is known better for exports of organic aromatic, medicinal and culinary herbs than for organic foods. The major challenges for the organic sector are deficiencies of the certification system, dependence on domestic support, and development of sustainable local consumer demand.
