Exploring Theoretical and Methodological Approaches for Analyzing Structural Changes in Agriculture: A Focus On Bulgaria
Exploring Theoretical and Methodological Approaches for Analyzing Structural Changes in Agriculture: A Focus On Bulgaria

Author(s): Khulan Khurelbaatar
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, National Economy, Business Economy / Management, Agriculture, Sociology, Methodology and research technology, Policy, planning, forecast and speculation, Economic development
Published by: Университет за национално и световно стопанство (УНСС)
Keywords: structural changes; specialization pattern; EU Accession; agricultural policy
Summary/Abstract: This paper presents a comprehensive framework for analyzing structural changes in Bulgaria's agri-cultural sector, focusing on the period following the country’s accession to the European Union (EU). The integration into the EU has brought major transformation in the country, especially in the agricultural sector, as the country implemented the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and adapted its regulatory and economic governance. The framework developed in this study is based on an extensive literature review and uses analysis and synthesis as the main scientific methods to explore the multifaceted evolution of the sector. The study presents an initial assessment of the current changes and identifies key drivers utilizing statistical and comparative analysis. The index, structural and correlation assessments revealed key trends including a decline in the number of agricultural holdings and a simultaneous increase in the average size of farms. These structural changes indicate a process of land consolidation and resulted in a dualistic structure, driven by the market forces and policy incentives. Furthermore, there have been significant shifts in production specialization, including increased specialization in certain crop types and a decline in livestock production which led to imbalanced crop and animal output, mainly due to the direct payments. These shifts are ac companied by ongoing challenges in competitiveness, particularly in smaller farms that struggle to integrate into the market, and financial support distribution remains uneven. Moreover, the lack of young skilled workers led to demographic changes and declined agricultural employment. Thus, important key drivers and their effect on the productivity, size of the farms, and the economic development are identified. The analysis conducted in this study offers valuable insights and a comprehensive understanding of these complex and multifaceted changes. It is suitable to support the foundation for informed policy-making and strategic planning and signify the importance of targeted policies directed at ensuring fair distribution of financial support, enhancing competitiveness, and addressing inequalities to achieve balanced economic development.

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