by PressBulgaria’s low oilseed harvest puts pressure on the processing industry
Bulgaria’s oilseed harvest has dropped significantly, causes
In the 2024-2025 season, farmers in Bulgaria harvested a small oilseed harvest. It was the lowest in the last 10 years. The reason for the low productivity was the extreme climatic conditions.
During the summer, the country experienced high temperatures and insufficient rainfall, resulting in a harvest of 1.6 million tonnes, compared to the previous year’s crop of 2 million tonnes. In the 2024-2025 season, rapeseed production was 175 thousand tonnes, a decrease of 15% compared to the previous results. Sunflower production also fell by 15% to 1.5 million tonnes despite an increase in the area under this crop.
At the same time, FAS points to other problems facing Bulgarian agriculture. In recent years, the country’s oilseed processing capacity has increased significantly, reaching around 5 million tonnes per year.
Declining harvests are forcing Bulgaria to increase imports to fill the processing capacity. However, it may be difficult to find new suppliers. Traditionally, Bulgaria has bought oilseeds from its EU neighbours. However, declining production in EU countries limits their export potential. In 2024, Bulgaria will import more than 270,700 tonnes of sunflower and rapeseed from external markets.
Sector challenges
The Bulgarian processing industry produces and supplies meals and oil. Although, a poor harvest will have a negative impact on supply volumes. This is not the only threat to the oil extraction industry. FAS highlights the following challenges facing the industry:
— rising raw material prices with low value of processed products leading to falling margins;
— core assets are not operating at full capacity, increasing maintenance costs;
— reduced competitiveness in the global market.
Experts suggest that revising working conditions and creating more flexible trade rules, including for imports, could improve the situation. However, the industry is under pressure from local farmers, who favour restricting imports to increase prices on the domestic market.
The situation with other crops
In contrast to oilseeds, wheat production in Bulgaria is going well. Despite dry conditions, farmers have managed to harvest high-quality grain. This was due to favourable climatic changes in the month before harvest. Temperatures dropped, and there was some rain, which strengthened the sprouts.
According to tests, more than 73% of the grain harvested has high milling quality. A good wheat harvest will allow Bulgaria to increase its exports.