Bulgaria is among the world leaders in sunflower seed exports and ranks second for 2021 with sales of more than $730 million, according to an analysis by the Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA). Its main markets are Germany and Turkey. 

The country also ranks third in the world in sunflower oil exports with revenues of $700 million in 2021. The country's sunflower oil is mainly exported to Spain, Italy, Turkey and Greece. Liberalized grain imports from Ukraine threaten the country's export competitiveness, BIA said. 

The analysis shows that a good export business for Bulgaria is rapeseed biodiesel. Until a few years ago, Bulgarian producers exported rapeseed directly, but now they process it in small refineries. In 2021, 542 000 tonnes of biodiesel worth $926 million were exported to the EU.