Bulgaria imported more than 55,000 tons of fresh vegetables in the first two months of this year alone – according to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute. For the same period, the import of fresh fruit in Bulgaria was nearly 66,000 tons.
For the first two months of the year, the import of vegetables increased by nearly 6 percent compared to the same period last year. The increase was mainly due to more imports of potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and cauliflower.
At the same time, a decrease in the import of cabbage, radishes and lettuce is reported.
According to the data, nearly 75% of all fresh fruit imports for the first two months of 2023 were formed by citrus fruits and bananas.
However, apples also represent a significant share – 12 percent of all imported fruits.
Over 7,000 tons of fresh vegetables and nearly 16,000 tons of fresh fruit were exported from Bulgaria in the period January-February this year.
The multiple growth of the export of lettuce, cauliflower and broccoli is impressive, although the quantities remain relatively small.
The reported export of fresh fruit in the first two months of 2023 mainly represents the re-export of products that were not produced in Bulgaria.