Free of charge

Rye: Remaining a small local player

May 31, 2018 at 11:58 AM , Starry Night Ltd.
Crop is not yet economically significant for widespread cultivation.
Crop is not yet economically significant for widespread cultivation.
Play report as audio

SOFIA. Local consumption has recently increased, but the majority share is exported abroad.

BULGARIA. During the past few years, farmers have increased the cultivation of the grain. For harvest 2017-18, the nation collected aggregate output of 17,272 mt, realizing an average yield of 2.1 mt/ha, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. However, less than half the production is consumed locally while the larger share is shipped abroad.

Rye: Yet, a small local player

Although local demand for rye staple has increased in recent years – due to noticeable changes in dietary styles of people who value the characteristics of the grain, the cultivation of the crop is not widespread at all throughout the country. The agricultural product still lacks the mass-market attractiveness of other locally grown grains such as wheat, for instance, which enjoys a much higher economic significance as a raw input in the food, industrial and livestock sectors. A case in point, for the upcoming harvest, farmers sowed 1,141,979 ha of wheat throughout the country while for rye, farmers allocated just 6,868 ha in specific areas within a few regions.

 Harvested land & aggregate output of rye, yearly

                      (period 2015 – 2017)

                         area units in HA

                       output units in MT

Harvested area 2015

Harvested area 2016

Harvested area 2017

Available area 2018*

6,304

7,468

8,217

6,868

                          Aggregate output

11,210

15,178

17,272

n/a

* estimates

 

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

Locally, rye is easily cultivated in mountainous areas, which are characterized by sloppy terrains, acidic, salty or poorly treated soils, and as a result, the agricultural map of the grain is limited to particular regions. The majority of rye is cultivated and harvested throughout the general South regions, as within the central South, farmers usually collect the highest outputs. Farmers will enter fields to harvest the grain in approximately a month.

View related articles

Go to the News Overview
Grains
Jul 29, 2025
KYIV/DALIAN. The Ukrainian Ministry of Agriculture is confident about the new crop. Meanwhile, EU countries have halved their imports in July 2025.
Grains
Jul 2, 2025
KYIV/DALIAN. Millet cultivation in Ukraine is declining this year. The crop in China is expected to be sufficient to meet demand on the Chinese market.
Grains
Jul 2, 2025
KYIV/DALIAN. EU countries have increased their buckwheat imports by 22% this season. A smaller crop is expected in Ukraine in 2025.
Grains
Jun 12, 2025
LIMA/SUCRE. Contrary to expectations, the result of the Peruvian crop was sobering. This is also driving up prices in Bolivia. On the Indian market, however, prices have fallen in recent weeks.