Problems and Opportunities for Realization of Bulgarian Organic Production

Abstract

The modern ecological crisis that the world is experiencing today is much more threatening than economic and threatens us all because of the increased exploitation of the Earth's natural resources. This is why there is a growing talk of organic production and more precisely organic farming. Organic farming is an important priority in agriculture development policy in the Republic of Bulgaria and one of the highlights of the common agricultural policy for the period 2014-2020. It is a fact that interest in organically produced food and drink is strengthened in Global scale. The purpose of our research is related to the study of the market environment in Bulgaria for the realization of organic production. The research methods used in the study include: general scientific research Methods, survey, generalization and synthesis, logical method, tabular, graphical and schematic representation of characteristics and trends. The results of the survey can be systematised in several directions: the growth of production and the number of farmers in the bio-production sector in recent years is mainly due to increased market demand, as well as to The increase in interest on the question "food quality with which we eat"; There is still an underdeveloped market for organic production in Bulgaria; The main problems are related to limited channels for distribution of production in the country, low market share of organic products, difficulties in the production process, presence of counterfeit organic products; High cost; Not sufficient consumer information, etc. The fact that the number of bio-based products is growing is an indicator that agro-entrepreneurs see potential for development in this direction, despite the general negative trends in economic development as a whole, and consumers remain interested. In conclusion, measures to improve the supply chain of organic products in Bulgaria should be directed towards a strong horizontal and vertical integration between the key figures in the sector. The effect of producer associations on a territorial/regional scope would be particularly pronounced.

An Innovative Organic Agriculture Model for Sustainable Development of Rural Areas in Bulgaria

“…In 2002, a measure was developed to support organic agriculture under the SAPARD programme of the EU. In 2009, the first television advertisement of organic foods appeared on television, the Bulgarian Bioproducts Association was established [19], and in 2010 Association of Organic Traders was founded [20]. Later in 2017, Association of Bulgarian Manufacturers of Bio Products was established [21].…”