Bulgarian poultry production declines in 2023 - GAIN
Broiler numbers down 11%
11 July 2024
2 minute read
By: Bulgaria’s poultry sector stagnated in 2023. The year began with higher number of broilers, according to a recent US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. However, due to production related challenges such as high feed grain, energy, and labour costs as well as food inflation, it ended with about 11% lower broiler numbers. Broiler meat slaughter and production was stable at around 90,500 MT.
The duck meat sector performed better despite several HPAI outbreaks and witnessed an 18% growth in ending bird numbers. Slaughtering was higher and resulted in an 11% increase in duck meat output, rising to 24,900 MT.
As a result of the above developments, total poultry numbers at the end of 2023 declined by 6.4% from 2022, while the total poultry meat production (commercial and non-commercial) had a small growth of 2.4% over 2022 to 122,000 MT. Commercial poultry meat output alone grew by 1.1% to 121,000 MT.
Domestic poultry meat consumption grew by 8.2% to a new record high of over 190,000 MT following the stagnation experienced in 2022 and was supported by increased imports. Poultry meat imports in 2023 had over 10% growth driven by more dynamic consumer demand, mainly at the food service industry.
Imports of chicken meat represented 95% of total poultry imports at 102,000 MT, with only small imports of about 6,000 MT of other types of poultry meat (mainly turkey meat), while duck meat imports were insignificant.
