Browse Data and Analysis

Prospects for marketing year (MY) 2025/26 oilseed crops in Bulgaria are currently positive due to favorable weather and larger planted area. FAS/Sofia estimates the MY 2025/26 rapeseed crop at 240,000 metric tons (MT) and the sunflower crop at 2.0 million metric tons (MMT).

Prospects for winter grain crops in Bulgaria are currently optimistic due to favorable weather and larger planted area.

In 2024, Bulgarian imports from the United States were nearly $100 million, slightly lower than in 2023, but still up over 50 percent since 2019. Imports of U.S. products were driven by several product groups such as U.S. beef, tree and ground nuts, food preparations, whiskies, essential oils, and rubber.

Bulgaria’s fish and seafood imports have grown steadily over the past decade, nearly doubling in value over this period. Bulgarian importers are seeking to expand the variety of fish available to consumers, particularly in the mid and high-value categories.

In marketing year (MY) 2024/25, Bulgaria harvested its smallest oilseed crop in 15 years due to hot and dry summer weather negatively impacting yields.

Based on the final official harvest data, the Bulgarian corn crop fell to only 1.5 million metric tons (MMT) in marketing year (MY) 2024/25. This is the smallest corn crop since 2012, and was impacted by intense summer heat and drought followed by adverse rainy weather during the harvest.

Strong demand growth continued in the Bulgarian tree nut market in marketing year (MY) 2023/24. The domestic demand increase was led by both the retail/food service industry and by the confectionary trade.

Bulgaria acceded to the European Union (EU) in 2007 and follows EU directives and regulations pertaining to food safety, quality and standards. This report outlines legislation regarding U.S. food product exports to Bulgaria, particularly those rules which differ from EU legislation.

This report provides an overview of health certificates needed for exporting plants, animals, foods, and other animal origin products to Bulgaria.

Bulgarian production of oilseed crops in marketing year (MY)2022/23 was at the same level as in MY2021/22 at 2.4 million metric tons (MMT), from 8 percent higher area harvested due to lower yields impacted by the summer heat and drought.

Bulgaria harvested a 26 percent lower grain crop in marketing year (MY) 2022/23 compared to MY2021/22, including reductions of 12 percent for wheat, 11 percent for barley, and 26 percent for corn.

Bulgaria’s hotel, restaurant, and institutional (HRI) foodservice industry grew year-on-year by early 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic severely hit the industry and food service sales dropped significantly in 2020 and in early 2021. In 2021, despite some remaining anti-COVID measures, after a strong summer tourist season, the HRI sector started to rebound and registered up to 25 percent growth in certain categories over 2020.