No crisis: Bulgaria's sunflower harvest may break records despite farmers' complaints

In one of the Bulgarian media, we saw a news report that sunflower oil prices in Bulgaria have skyrocketed, the crop has been destroyed, and consumers and processors are hoping for imports from Ukraine to cover the deficit. But is this really the case? Despite Bulgarian farmers and some traders describing this year's sunflower crop as the worst in history, the reality is far less dramatic. According to Preslav Raikov, a Bulgarian vegetable oil and commodity trader, sunflower acreage is at a record high, weather conditions were mostly favorable, and production could reach 2 million tons—a potential historical maximum. He explains why the crisis narrative persists, how processors have adapted faster than farmers, and why Bulgaria's agricultural sector must align with global market realities to remain competitive, reports Latifundist. Preslav Raikov, Bulgarian vegetable oil and commodity trader Preslav, let's start with sunflower. I read in the news that farmers, some traders, and ...