Bulgaria’s Grain Sector Shut Out of Europe After Ukrainian Import Surge

In the span of just three years, Bulgaria's grain producers have seen their access to European markets completely disappear. That warning comes from Iliya Prodanov, chairman of the National Association of Grain Producers (NAG) and co-chair of the Bulgarian Agrarian Chamber (BAC), who voiced growing frustration with the European Union’s concessions to Ukraine.

According to Prodanov, a new EU regulation is expected soon to set trade quotas with Ukraine, valid until the end of 2025. But for Bulgaria’s agricultural sector, the damage has already been done. “The price we’re paying for these concessions is disgustingly high,” Prodanov said, pointing to the rapid displacement of Bulgarian grain from European markets since 2022.

At present, almost all of Bulgaria’s wheat exports are being redirected toward North Africa - a region traditionally served by Ukrainian suppliers before the war disrupted those trade routes. Now, Ukrainian grain has found its way into Europe, effectively pushing Bulgarian production out of the more lucrative EU market, Prodanov added. Despite this shift, he still believes that Bulgarian agriculture can recover its position on the continent in the future.

Since the start of 2025 alone, some 5 million tons of Ukrainian wheat have entered European markets, further intensifying the competition. The EU had previously reintroduced tariffs on a selection of Ukrainian goods - including sugar, oats, and eggs - if import volumes exceeded their 2021–2023 averages. This came after sustained pressure from European farmers, who warned of severe disruptions.

However, those safeguard measures focused on grains expired on June 5, 2025. And while there had been signals from Brussels earlier in the year suggesting that the restrictions might not be extended, the final decision remains pending - leaving Bulgarian producers in a state of uncertainty.