The pig meat sector in Bulgaria is showing signs of growth. This was announced at the International Forum "Modern Trends in Pig Farming: Scientific, Market and Regulatory Aspects", held today in Stara Zagora.

It was highlighted that 53% of the Bulgarian population prefers pork, followed by 42% who prefer chicken and only 5% who choose beef. As of 2024, the total pig population in the country stands at 700,000. In 2023, just over 1.2 million pigs were slaughtered, yielding approximately 83,000 tons of pork—an output that, according to Dimitar Mihaylov, Executive director at Association of Swine Breeders in Bulgaria, has not been achieved in years.

About 70% of the pork available on the Bulgarian market is imported, mainly from Western European producers. The remaining 30% is produced domestically, according to Ventsislav Slavov, chairman of the Association of Industrial Pig Breeding. He pointed out that in the early 1990s Bulgaria had more than 4 million pigs. However, following the political and economic changes of that time, many pig farms fell into disuse.

In recent years, the sector has experienced a revival thanks to the introduction of modern technology and improved breeds. It was emphasised that in order for Bulgarian pig farming to become more competitive, the industry needs to move towards consolidation and co-operative models.