Abstract
This article examines the problems of agriculture in Bulgaria from the period before 1989 to the early years of the latest programming period of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–2027). This study aims to analyse the impact of subsidies for vegetable production in the Republic of Bulgaria, provided under the CAP, and to identify the main challenges and opportunities for improving the sector in the context of sustainable agriculture. Several scientific publications have been reviewed, and various methods have been applied, including historical analysis, comparative analysis, content analysis, and graphical methods. The study examines the impact of subsidies on vegetable production in the Republic of Bulgaria and identifies potential reasons for its current state. New opportunities under the latest programming period of the EU CAP are also discussed, along with examples of best practices from other European countries. Based on the conducted research, it can be concluded that the implementation of the CAP in Bulgaria still fails to provide adequate support for the vegetable production sector. The issue of fair distribution of funds remains unresolved, and lower adaptability to the new CAP model has been observed. This may be due to the structural reorientation of public funds towards other priorities, such as sustainability, climate action, and innovation.
Keywords: vegetable production, subsidies, competitiveness, sustainable food systems, Bulgaria