Agri-food

A particularly vigorous sector of the Bulgarian market for the Italian industry is the agro-alimentary one, which witnesses a constant growth.
Normally Italian products penetrate the Bulgarian market thanks to foreign resellers, often of Greek origin. In the period 2007-2013 there will be 2.6 billion Euros devolved from the European Agricultural Fund especially for the development of rural areas. If we consider the co-financing by the Bulgarian Government (631 million Euros), the financial resources available for the development of this sector totals 3.2 billion Euros. 
Bulgaria has a consolidated tradition in the production of quality wines, that represents around 2% of the world market share (40% of the Bulgarian winery export goes to Russia). The Country therefore positions itself amongst the first 15 wine-producing Countries in the world. Nevertheless, the sector still suffers from an inefficient subdivision of the land utilized for agriculture. 
At the beginning of 2008 the Bulgarian government elaborated a programme in support of the wine sector that comprises a subsidization of 166 million Euros in the next seven years.
The Bulgarian legislation regarding the sector is fully integrated with the European one.
The Bulgarian agro-alimentary products are of a high standard and some Italian Companies have chosen the Country as their main headquarters for biological cultivation aimed at the production of high-quality products.
Approximately one third of the population lives in rural areas and holds a strong agricultural tradition; the Bulgarian climate is particularly good for the cultivation of fruits, vegetables and the soil is fertile and by large not polluted.