Bulgaria
enjoys
excellent
natural
conditions
for
developing
the
agriculture
and
forestry
sector.
Cultivated
agricultural
land
occupies
about
4.9
million
hectares
or
44%
of
the
total
territory
of
the
country.
The
favorable
climate
for
crop
production
and
the
availability
of
agricultural
land
and
long
traditions
have
resulted
in
well-developed
plant
growing
and
animal
breeding.
Other
advantages
are
the
low
labor
costs
and
the
high-schools
and
colleges
offering
training
in
modern
farming
and
animal
breeding.
Foreigners
cannot
own
land,
but
the
Foreign
Investment
Law
removed
restrictions
on
the
acquisition
of
land
by
locally
registered
companies
with
foreign
participation.
Among
the
main
crops
produced
are
tomatoes,
pepper,
tobacco,
grapes,
wheat,
maize,
beans,
potato,
sunflower,
peaches,
apricots,
apples,
melons,
and
nuts.
There
are
traditions
in
the
sheep,
pig
and
cattle
breeding,
poultry
farming,
and
bee-keeping.
Traditionally,
Bulgaria
has
had
a
leading
position
in
exports
of
grapes,
oriental
tobacco,
tomatoes,
apricots
and
other
agricultural
products
to
European
markets.
Good
opportunities
in
the
sector
exist
for
the
creation
of
total
production
chains
through
a
combination
of
selected
companies
in
clusters
covering
primary
sector,
processing,
sales
and
distribution.
An
important
advantage
of
the
sector
is
the
presence
of
well-established
food
research
and
development
institutions.
Within
Bulgaria
a
special
EU
support
program
(SAPARD),
provides
for
a
50%
investment
subsidy
for
investment
projects
in
agriculture.
Bulgaria
has
a
strong
tradition
in
production
and
processing
of
vegetable
and
fruit.
Investment
based
on
the
introduction
of
modern
marketing,
growing,
processing
and
distribution
methods
offers
good
opportunities
for
investors
with
experience
in
this
branch.
Altogether,
in
this
sub-sector
there
are
209
processing
plants
of
which
147
ones
are
newly
established.
Major
products
are:
canned
vegetables,
peppers,
fruit
products,
juices,
fresh
and
dried
mushrooms,
herbs.
Bulgaria
is
well-known
producer
of
dairy
products
from
sheep,
cow
and
goat
milk.
There
are
495
operating
dairy
factories
of
which
450
newly
established.
Famous
types
of
cheese
produced
in
Bulgaria
are
Kashkaval
and
Feta
(produced
through
ultra-filtration).
Investment
opportunities
exist
in
relation
to
meat
production
(pork,
broilers
and
ducks),
establishing
fattening
farms
for
hogs,
calves
and
broilers,
construction
of
slaughterhouses,
production
of
animal
feed,
etc.
Bulgaria
has
been
a
major
wine
producer
for
many
years
and
currently
a
number
of
modern
wineries
export
their
products
all
over
the
world.
There
are
56
companies
operating
in
this
sub-sector
and
12
of
them
newly
established.
