In the first month of 2017, Bulgaria's fresh vegetable exports grew by 27.5% compared to the same month a year earlier, reaching 1.7 thousand tonnes, as revealed by data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) processed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MAF). Meanwhile, fresh fruit exports fell by 2% and stood at 4,000 tonnes.
The most significant contribution to the increase in fresh vegetable exports during the period at hand was made by tomatoes, with 247 tonnes (+74.6% growth), followed by cucumbers and gherkins, peppers, cabbage, pumpkins and aubergines.
At the same time, the shipments of garlic, onions, carrots and turnips, potatoes and mushrooms decreased by between 29.8% and 98.9%, with the most noticeable decline being recorded by mushrooms.
The reported fresh fruit shipments during the first month of 2017 consisted mainly of re-exports of products not grown in Bulgaria, such as citrus fruits, bananas, kiwis and others.
Compared to the same month of 2016, exports of nuts, apples, plums, grapes and strawberries fell significantly, by between 34.3% and 73.9%. Unlike in the previous year, exports of melons, pears and raspberries were not reported in January 2017. At the same time, the export of quinces, apricots and blueberries increased by between two and seventy percent, with the most significant growth being recorded by blueberries.
Source: fermer.bg