Bulgaria: Livestock and Products Market Update

The Bulgarian livestock industry is experiencing strong production growth in 2024, following the expansion of swine numbers and commercial cattle numbers in 2023. This growth is expected to continue for the rest of the year and into next year. For pork, a favorable epizootic situation, along with continued farm consolidation, a shift from backyard production, and higher investments have benefited the industry. This has resulted in double digit growth in swine and sow inventories and increased exports of live swine, as well as growth in domestic pork supply in 2024. Pork remains the most preferred meat and consumption has reached a new record, supported by higher imports. In the cattle industry, a trend toward more commercial farming has continued, along with the expansion of beef breed cattle numbers, and this supported record high exports of live cattle. Domestic beef supply is estimated to grow in 2024 while beef consumption is also expected to recover from the inflation-hit decline experienced in 2023.