Bulgaria: Oilseeds and Products Market Update
Link to report:
Bulgarian oilseed prospects for MY 2020/21 remain unclear. The rapeseed crop may hit an all-time low, although Bulgarian sunflower production is expected to surpass last year. In marketing year (MY) 2019/20, Bulgaria’s total oilseed harvest was six percent below MY 2018/19, following a drop in the area harvested and lower average yields. Reduced stocks and higher demand from Bulgarian sunflower crushers reduced overall oilseed exports, while increasing exports of processed oilseed products, notably sunflower meal and oil. The increased crush also drove record sunflower seed imports and as of April 2020, Bulgaria became the European Union’s (EU) largest importer, accounting for 41 percent of total EU sunflower seed imports. Bulgaria was also the EU’s leading sunflower oil exporter, with 36 percent of total EU sunflower oil exports. Despite being the EU’s second largest exporter of sunflower meal, Bulgaria accounted for 44 percent of total EU sunflower meat exports.
