Browse Data and Analysis

The U.S. Census Bureau’s bulk, intermediate, and consumer oriented (BICO) export data tracks U.S. food and agriculture trade shipped directly to Bulgaria. However, it does not measure the substantial levels of the U.S. agricultural trade to Bulgaria routed through Western European ports of entry.

Bulgaria’s grocery retail sector has remained stable and vital despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the galloping inflation, and the war in Ukraine. Grocery retail sales rose year-on-year by 2.8 percent in 2021 and 4.8 percent in 2022 as compared to the previous years.

No significant changes are made to 2023/24 rice and wheat supply and demand forecasts. Private sector wheat import commitments of about 1.4 million tons underpin the 2 million ton 2023/24 wheat import forecast.

Pakistan is the 24th largest export market for U.S. food and agricultural-related products, with U.S. exports surpassing $1.37 billion in 2022. The top U.S. exports to Pakistan were cotton, soybeans, pulses, tree nuts, dairy products, planting seeds, dairy cattle, and forestry products.

As a European Union (EU) Member State, Bulgaria applies EU regulatory requirements for all animal- and plant-origin food and agricultural imports.

Bulgaria acceded to the European Union (EU) in 2007 and follows EU directives and regulations pertaining to food safety, quality and standards.

FAS/Sofia’s marketing year (MY) 2023/24 sunflower production estimate is lowered to 1.7 million metric tons (MMT) based on the final harvest data. The sunflower crop suffered from severe and prolonged summer drought and high heat which reduced yields considerably.

On 24 November, the Federal Cabinet approved amendments to the National Biosafety Rules, which should enable genetically engineered soybean imports to resume in the first half of calendar year 2024. As a result, the 2023/24 soybean import forecast is...