Bulgaria: Organic Opportunities
18 December 2006 A growing organic production market in Bulgaria is creating opportunities for organic product manufacturers. Government support initiatives (Ordinance 22/04.07.2001 and Ordinance 35/30.08.2001, specifically) are helping to boost the sector, which is growing in response to EU demand.
Government and Regulatory
Ordinance 22/04.07.2001 gives all pertinent information for the production of organic plant products, while Ordinance 35/30.08.2001 regulates organic livestock production and foodstuffs of animal origin. Both regulations require independent bodies approved by the Minister of Agriculture to conduct an initial certification process and regular inspections to guarantee that all principles laid out in applicable ordinances are being followed at farms and processing facilities.
If a producer has been properly certified, his/her products may carry the national organic label. This label is authorized and maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture. Exporting organic products can further complicate the certification process. Since most nations maintain their own organic label, a producer must work with a certification body approved by the nation in which the product will be marketed to be able to use the labels of that nation.
Before certification, farms must undergo a conversion period during which organic principles are implemented to reduce non-approved input residues in the fields. The inability of many producers to afford synthetic inputs since the fall of Communism has resulted in low levels of prohibited residues in many areas. As a result, conversion periods in Bulgaria are significantly quicker than in most developed nations. While a conversion in the EU can take up to five or six years, conversions of one or two years are not uncommon in the country.
Production
In 2005, 12,284 hectares (Ha) or 0.23% of all agricultural land in Bulgaria was farmed organically. This total includes both land already certified as organic and land currently in transition to become certified.
The primary focus of the organic industry has been on a variety of perennial crops. Apples, strawberries, raspberries, plums, walnuts and rose oil compose the majority of organic exports. Organic livestock production currently takes place on five farms where 722 cattle, sheep, and goats are being raised.
Interestingly, by then end of 2005, 62,183 Ha of wild land had been certified as organic areas for the collection of wild fruits, herbs and mushrooms, an increase in certified land of 123% over 2004. Under Bulgarian law, areas which have been tested to be free of specific chemicals can be certified as organic sources of traditionally collected products. This is in contrast to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program (NOP) certification which does not allow wild products to be classified as organic. Several groups such as BioBulgaria have taken advantage of this opportunity to increase the marketability of traditionally collected products. Mushrooms, herbs and nuts are among the commonly available organic forest products.
The vast majority of organic farms in Bulgaria are less than one hectare in size and produce only for the local market and their own consumption. Often these farms have no incentive to differentiate their products since very few consumers are willing to pay a premium for organic products. The small number of farms focused on exports tend to be larger in size and produce the majority of the nation’s organic product. These types of operations are growing, thanks to increases interest from the EU.
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