When the forest sector and the timber industry in Europe are discussed, attention tends to focus on the Nordic countries, the United Kingdom, the Baltics and Central Europe, while far less information is available about the Balkan states and southern Europe. Our readers might be interested, for example, in the situation in Bulgaria.
At present Bulgaria's forest sector is in a fairly critical state. Timber harvesting amounts to only 42% of annual forest increment, which is driving the closure of wood-processing plants, raising the risk of forest fires and increasing the pressure on Bulgaria's timber industry, which is largely geared towards export markets.
The industry's latest figures confirm a decline that has now lasted ten years. Over this period forest management has been weakened and timber harvesting reduced, and as a result the shortage of timber supplies threatens Bulgaria's place among Europe's timber and furniture producers.
Timber harvesting volumes in Bulgaria are currently more than 30% lower than they were ten years ago. Data published last week by the Bulgarian Forestry Agency (EFA) show that harvesting volumes fell in 2025 to 42% of total annual forest increment, a figure considerably below the European average, where harvesting reaches 75-80% of increment.
Wood-processing volumes in Bulgaria have fallen, and sawmills and wood-processing plants are operating below capacity. Several wood-processing companies have gone bankrupt, particularly in mountain regions where forestry is the mainstay of the local economy. Bulgarian timber industry representatives are seriously concerned that a downturn of this kind in the sector could develop into a much broader crisis.
According to figures from the largest organisation in Bulgaria's timber industry, BKDMP (the Bulgarian Chamber of the Woodworking and Furniture Industry), last year only 80% of the timber that had been scheduled for delivery to processing companies was hauled out from the landings at felling sites – a situation never before seen in the fulfilment of Bulgaria's state forestry plans. Timber industry expert Petar Dishkov noted that the downward trend in supplies has been building for years, as forest management operations and stand tending have been cut back and the risk of forest fires has risen. He pointed out that the problems in Bulgaria's forests are visible even to non-specialists – the forests are full of fallen dead trees, which can be regarded as a precondition for further problems. Timber harvesting in Bulgaria's forests is far below sustainable European norms. In Bulgaria this gap is widening and the consequences may become ever more severe.
This is happening at a time when the deterioration of Bulgaria's forests – marked by dying trees, windthrow, scrub and unmanaged stands of old conifers – is also creating safety hazards and increasing the likelihood of large-scale fires. Bulgarian foresters stress that active, science-based forest management is essential. Neglect in forest management, whether it stems from misguided environmental policy or from simple inaction, has long-term consequences. Harvesting, tending and afforestation must be carried out in line with sound scientific principles in order to ensure the resilience and sustainability of the forests.
Despite the fall in domestic supplies, Bulgaria remains an active exporter of forestry and timber products. The country's export sector is dominated by sawn timber – beech and oak in particular – along with roundwood, firewood and wood-based panels, veneer, particleboard and MDF. Significantly, Bulgarian wood-processing companies are important manufacturers and suppliers of wooden frames for European seating and mattress producers, and they depend heavily on stable domestic timber supplies. Despite the decline, the forest sector remains a mainstay of Bulgaria's bioeconomy, providing work for more than 67,000 people and accounting for around 3% of the country's GDP. Leaders in the forest sector warn that without a shift to active management the sector's economic and ecological value will continue to fall.
It should be emphasised that the Bulgarians are significant exporters of solid wood and wooden furniture, ranking 40th in the world in this field. Paper and board products also account for a substantial share of exports, underlining the sector's continuing importance to the national economy.
The pressure on raw material supply is also being felt in Bulgaria's furniture manufacturing sector, which is heavily dependent on the availability of domestic timber. In 2024 the sector produced goods worth 535 million euros, less than in 2021. Total turnover reached approximately 600 million euros. Solid wood and veneered furniture accounts for the largest share of production at 27.6%, followed by wooden-frame seating at 13% and mattress components at 8.6%.
According to Professor V. Zhivkov, chairman of the Bulgarian Council of Forestry and the Forest Industry, exports remain the forest sector's strongest argument, helping Bulgaria maintain steady competitiveness within the European Union. Despite the problems listed above, Bulgaria is competitive on export markets. The country ranks 56th in the world in furniture manufacturing and 40th in exports. Within Europe, the Bulgarians rank 26th in production and 23rd in exports.
Bulgaria's forests are diverse, ranging from oak woodlands in the lowlands to beech forests, mixed beech and conifer forests, and pure conifer forests in mountain areas. The country's total forest area is 3.864 million hectares, which is more than 30% of its territory.