Drought cuts sunflower yields in southeastern Bulgaria as costs and imports squeeze growers
Sunflower harvesting started late in Bulgaria’s Burgas region after prolonged summer drought reduced expected yields to 200-250 kilograms per decare. Growers also face purchase prices of €470-480 per tonne, production costs that rose 30-40% in a year and pressure from imports.
Delayed harvest opens with weak yields
Sunflower harvesting has begun in Bulgaria, but the campaign in the southeastern Burgas region started late after prolonged summer drought limited crop development. Some producers have already completed work in their fields, while others have yet to begin, according to NOVA.
Average yields in the region are expected at about 200-250 kilograms per decare, well below the crop’s potential. Alexander Sotirov, chairman of the regional Union of Grain Producers, said reaching 300-350 kilograms per decare would be difficult. One farmer who had finished harvesting reported a yield of about 200 kilograms per decare, supporting the lower regional forecast.
Spring promise lost to summer drought
Rainfall through June initially created favorable conditions and raised expectations for a strong season. The extended dry period that followed reduced the plants’ yield potential. Sunflower cultivation in the Burgas region is concentrated mainly in the municipalities of Karnobat, Aytos, Sredets and Ruen.
Producers still expect results to be better than last year, but they do not anticipate high yields. Farmers identify the lack of irrigation systems as the main obstacle preventing crops from reaching their full capacity. The problem leaves production particularly exposed whenever prolonged drought follows an otherwise favorable spring.
Flat prices meet sharply higher costs
The weak harvest comes as sunflower purchase prices stand at approximately €470-480 per tonne. Industry representatives told NOVA that this level has not changed substantially in recent years. Production expenses, particularly for fuel and fertilizer, increased by about 30-40% in the past year, according to Sotirov, while revenue from sunflower sales remained broadly unchanged.
Imports from other countries are adding pressure on domestic agriculture, producers said. NOVA also reported that the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency would maintain round-the-clock duty during the unloading of vessels carrying sunflower from Argentina. The supplied material does not specify the volumes involved or compare imported and domestic prices, but growers regard foreign supply as another constraint on competitiveness.
Farm numbers fall as growers seek legislation
Data from the Burgas Regional Directorate of Agriculture show that the number of farms in the region has declined by about 30% over the past 10 years. The combination of weather losses, rising input costs and stagnant selling prices is making it harder for remaining producers to finance another planting cycle and invest in resilience.
Growers are calling for stronger state support and legislative changes, including adoption of a Law on Branch Organizations and a Law on Land Relations. They argue that the absence of clear regulation also hinders investment in irrigation infrastructure. Without expanded access to irrigation, southeastern Bulgaria’s sunflower producers remain exposed to renewed yield losses during each extended dry period.
