Bulgaria Expects Record Sunflower Harvest in 2025: Areas, Forecasts, and Effects

Bulgaria is preparing for a historic record in sunflower production in 2025, according to data from agricultural experts and news websites.
Sunflower acreage reached 985,000 hectares, which is a 67% increase compared to 2024 and the highest value for the last decade
Supported by favorable climatic conditions, most plantations have good humidity and root systems, and farmers report a significantly better perspective than last year's low yield. Only in some regions there was damage from drought, according to opinions of individual producers.

Forecasts by analysts and agricultural exchanges are optimistic: the expected yield in the country amounts to between 1.8 and 2 million tons – more than 30% more compared to 2024, when official data show 1.4–1.5 million tons of sunflower produced.

Some farmers express pessimism, forecasting a lower yield (1.2–1.3 million tons) – these estimates are often associated with expectations of compensation from the state. However, experts believe that real data support the scenario for a historic record.

The domestic market has already reacted: processing enterprises, in addition to sunflower, have started using rapeseed and soybean seeds, even canola imported from Canada, to increase their efficiency.

Bulgarian sunflower oil in 2025 reached the lowest prices in the EU, in some months even cheaper than the Ukrainian product. In this way, the country strengthens its position as an exporter in the region and meets the growing demand.

Academician Preslav Raikov commented on the data as follows: "The area with sunflower is record-breaking, and the climate is suitable. Even individual damages from drought do not change the overall picture, which points to the highest yield for Bulgaria."