The Bulgarian organic market continued to grow in 2022 with an estimated annual growth of 3.2 percent compared to 2021. However, the area devoted to organic gardening in the country decreased in 2021 compared to 2020, with fresh vegetable area decreasing by 19% and organic fruit area decreasing by 7%.
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According to a report by the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS), vegetable production was hit by the drought and fell by 13%. The production of orchards also fell by 20% (Table 4). The decline mainly affected pome fruit, the production of which fell by 22%, while the production of stone fruit stagnated and that of nuts increased by 22%.
The organic horticultural area in Bulgaria decreased in 2021 compared to 2020, with the area dedicated to fresh vegetables decreasing by 19% and the area dedicated to organic fruit crops decreasing by 7%.
The main reason behind the growth of national organic farming has been consumers’ strong focus on healthier lifestyles and the perception that organic produce is healthy and of higher quality compared to conventional produce. A better summer season for tourists and a well-functioning food industry supported the increase in sales.
Source : Fruchtportal
