The number of agricultural farms decreased with about one-quarter compared to that in 2007, shows the intermediate data from the 2010 Agricultural census, registered up to now.
The 2010 Agricultural Census campaign in Bulgaria has finished. Information for all the farms listed to complete the statistical questionnaire has been collected. The statistics of the 2010 census survey shows that the number of agricultural farms that meet the requirements pursuant to the the Agricultural Holdings Census Law, has been decreased with about one-quarter compared with data from a sample survey in 2007. The number of agricultural farms, officially announced in 2007 was 493,000.
About two thirds of farms operating in 2007, ceased their agricultural activity while the remaining one-third does not meet the criteria for agricultural holding any more.Presently, the data collected in the statistical questionnaires is being checked and controlled by experts and inspectors in the regional agricultural directorates and implemented by operators in a special computer program. Information of about one fifth of farms that fall above the thresholds defining "holding” remains to be introduced. Preliminary results will be presented following the introduction and summary of that data, as it has been scheduled to be completed by the end of June 2011.
According to preliminary data, holdings currently meeting the criteria for "holding" are about 370 thousand. Data is still being processed. The change in number compared with the previous census in 2007 due to the ongoing process of consolidation of land.