Evaluation of the Current State and Trends for the Sustainable Development of the Agri-Food Sector of the South-Central Region of Bulgaria

Abstract

The South-Central region of Bulgaria, that comprises the districts Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Smolyan, Haskovo and Kardzhali, is characterized with favorable climatic, relief and landscape conditions that foster the cultivation of various agricultural crops as well as livestock breeding. Therefore, nowadays the region comes out as one of the most well-developed in terms of agri-food activities. The South-Central region of Bulgaria is one of the leading regions in the production of milk, vegetables, wine, etc. and has a great potential for developing environmentally friendly agricultural activities such as organic farming. Sustainable regional development might be achieved by elaborate evaluation of the specific characteristics of a region in terms of social, natural and economic development aspects. Special attention is given to the transportation of the agricultural production and how it impacts the sustainability in the region. Therefore, in the present study, the current state of the agri-food sector in terms of production rates as well as the measures for the sustainable development of the sector in the region is outlined.