ORGANIC PLANT PRODUCTION IN BULGARIA

Abstract

Organic farming is a system of farm management and food production that combines best practices with regard to environmental protection, maintaining a high level of biodiversity, preservation of natural resources and the application of higher welfare standards to animals and production methods tailored to the preferences of a certain part of consumers towards products made using natural substances and processes.

The objective of this report is to present an overview of the emergence and development of organic production of plant products in Bulgaria and to highlight the impact of the financial assistance from the EU and national subsidies.

The main conclusion is that the considerable increase in the areas of individual organic cultures (vegetables, perennial crops, grassland) is not connected only with the increased subsidy but follows the positive market dynamics - the highest growth is in products grown organically where the demand on the domestic and the foreign market is the greatest.