State, problems and development of the agricultural sector in Bulgaria under the common agricultural policy.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and evaluate the state by revealing the problems and identify the main perspectives of the agricultural sector development under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The study of the state and problems of the agricultural sector development under the impact of the CAP is done in two parts. The first part analyzes the state of agriculture, crop and livestock sector, production and socio-economic structure of agricultural holdings related to the changes resulting from the implementation of the CAP. Two main periods are analyzed – the period of transition and accession up to 2007 and the after-accession period, after 2007. Official statistics data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the National Statistical Institute (NSI) are used. The second part of the study reveals major problems of the development of agriculture in terms of implementing CAP. The analysis of issues uses data from the survey of farmers, processors of agricultural raw materials and experts in agriculture and food concerning the problems, prospects of development of the agriculture in the light of CAP. Despite the stabilization of macro economy, especially after the country’s membership in the EU, the results of the agricultural sector in recent years have been far below the potential for efficient use of inputs for production of high quality and competitive products to the domestic and international market. Competitive pressure on Bulgarian agriculture on the domestic and foreign market has increased with the accession of Bulgaria to the EU.