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The competitiveness of agricultural holdings in Bulgaria

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  • Hrabrin Bachev
  • Nina Koteva

Abstract

In an effort to fill the existing gap regarding the definition of the competitiveness of agricultural holdings and the ways to measure it, the present research applies a holistic approach in the assessment of the competitiveness of agricultural holdings in Bulgaria as a whole, as well as in terms of their different specialization. Despite its importance and the continuing debates on the topic, there is still no consensus on what the competitiveness of farms is; how to measure the competitiveness of different organizations in agriculture; what the absolute and comparative competitiveness of different types of farms is; which are the critical factors for increasing the competitiveness at the current stage of development, etc. The multicriteria assessment found that although the level of competitiveness of Bulgarian farms is overall good, more than a third of all farms in the country show a low level of competitiveness. This can largely be attributed to their low adaptive potential and economic efficiency. The most competitive farms are those specializing in the beekeeping sector, followed by field crops, mixed livestock and mixed crop production, while farms specializing in grazing livestock are the least competitive. The proposed approach should be improved and applied more widely and periodically, increasing its accuracy and representativeness. The latter requires close cooperation with producer organizations, the National Agricultural Advisory Service (NAAS) and other stakeholders, as well as improvements to the agricultural information collection system in the country.

Suggested Citation

  • Hrabrin Bachev & Nina Koteva, 2021. "The competitiveness of agricultural holdings in Bulgaria," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 4, pages 3-26,27-48.
  • Handle: RePEc:bas:econth:y:2021:i:4:p:3-26,27-48
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bachev, Hrabrin & Koteva, Nina & Ivanov, Bodjidar & Mitova, Dilyana & Boevski, Ivan & Marinov, Petar & Sarov, Angel & Kostenarov, Krassimir & Dimova, Nadejda & Soyanova, Natalia & Terziev, Dimitar, 2022. "Въпроси На Конкурентоспособността На Земеделските Стопанства На България [Issues of the competitiveness of the agricultural holdings of Bulgaria]," MPRA Paper 116065, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2023. "Аграрното Управление - Опит За Разбиране И Икономическо Анализиране [Agrarian governance - attempt to understand and economic analysis]," MPRA Paper 118350, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Galina IVANOVA, 2023. "Business Networks as a Means of Impact on Agribusiness Organizations Competitiveness," Business & Management Compass, University of Economics Varna, issue 2, pages 153-166.
    4. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2023. "Разбиране, Оценка И Фактори На Конкурентоспособността На Фермерските Управленчески Структури - Български Пример [Understanding, Assessment, and Factors of Competitiveness of Farming Governing Struc," MPRA Paper 116074, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Sonia MILEVA & Teodora GEORGIEVA, 2022. "Sectoral innovation system of agribusiness in Bulgaria – main challenges and perspectives," Access Journal, Access Press Publishing House, vol. 3(3), pages 307-338, July.
    6. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2023. "Institutional structure of the agricultural utilization of sludge from wastewater treatment plants in Bulgaria," MPRA Paper 118416, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Hrabrin Bachev, 2023. "Competitiveness of Farming Structures in Bulgaria," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 6, pages 108-131.
    8. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2023. "About governance, production, and territorial dimensions of farm competitiveness – the case of Bulgaria," MPRA Paper 118035, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q1 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture
    • Q11 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices
    • Q12 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Micro Analysis of Farm Firms, Farm Households, and Farm Input Markets
    • Q13 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Markets and Marketing; Cooperatives; Agribusiness
    • Q14 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Finance
    • Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation; Agriculture and Environment
    • Q17 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agriculture in International Trade
    • Q18 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Agricultural Policy; Food Policy; Animal Welfare Policy

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