Bulgaria: Livestock and Products Annual
Bulgaria’s livestock sector continues to advance, despite marginally lower cattle and swine inventories in 2017. Farms continue to get larger and more efficient and the overall livestock industry continues to consolidate. 2017 beef production was flat while pork production grew slightly. The animal-disease situation was stable in 2017, although in June and July 2018 the European Union’s first-ever cases peste des petits ruminants (PPR) were reported in Bulgaria. Pork producers and animal quarantine officials are currently monitoring for African swine fever (ASF), as recent ASF outbreaks have occurred just over the border with Romania, and elsewhere in the region. Pork remains the most widely produced and consumed meat in Bulgaria. Consumer demand for beef continues to get stronger. Bulgaria remains a net importer of pork and beef. Consumption patterns are driven by higher disposable incomes and a growing food service sector. The Bulgarian pork and beef industries are cautiously optimistic about their prospects in 2019, although ongoing animal-health challenges and potential traderelated issues pose threats.
