In autumn 2025, cabbage prices in Bulgaria fell sharply due to overproduction. Farm-gate prices dropped to around 0.30 BGN/kg (€0.15/kg), roughly 0.15 BGN (€0.08) below production costs, while retail prices remain as high as 1.29 BGN/kg (€0.65/kg).
Last year, drought-reduced yields pushed farm-gate prices to 0.80 BGN/kg (€0.40/kg), encouraging many producers to plant more cabbage this year, resulting in the current oversupply. Bulk purchases for processing range from 0.25–0.40 BGN/kg (€0.13–0.20/kg).
Ivan Kaburov, vice-chair of the Bulgarian Greenhouse Producers Association, criticized the wide gap between wholesale and retail prices and highlighted the lack of market regulation. He called for a Law on the Agricultural Supply Chain to control excessive retail markups and suggested government quotas to prevent future market collapses.
High production costs, particularly for heating with sunflower husk pellets, limited state energy support, and competition from imported Turkish and Albanian vegetables have discouraged winter greenhouse cultivation. Kaburov's family plans to delay planting until March 2026 to reduce heating expenses.
He also raised concerns about insufficient lab monitoring and the use of plant protection products on imported vegetables not permitted under EU regulations.
Source: bourgas.ru
