Press releases

In October 2022, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), was 0.9% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in October 2022 compared to October 2021 was 17.6%.

In October 2022, compared to the previous month, the highest price increase was registered for Clothing and footwear (+7.0%), Recreation and culture (+2.7%), Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+2.3%). The decrease was recorded in the prices for Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (-2.1%), Transport (-1.4%) and Communications (-0.1%).

In October 2022, the monthly inflation rate, measured by the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), was 0.6% compared to the previous month, and the annual inflation rate in October 2022 compared to October 2021 was 14.8%.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, GDP has a growth of 3.2% in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the third quarter of the previous year.

The producer price index in agriculture for the third quarter of 2022 increased by 45.5% compared to the same quarter of 2021, as a result of an increase in the price index of crop output by 47.7% and livestock output by 28.6%.

Compared to the previous year, the prices of agricultural output increased by 39.0%. In crop output, they increased by 40.4%, and in livestock output, they increased by 28.4%.

In crop output, in the third quarter of 2022, compared to the same quarter of 2021, the highest growth was recorded in the prices of cereals - by 63.0% and industrial crops - by 22.5%.

The trend also retained itself in comparison to 2021, with an increase in cereal prices of 54.0% and in industrial crops of 18.3%.

In animal output, in the third quarter of 2022 compared to the same quarter of 2021, the prices of live animals increased by 30.3%, and those of animal products output - by 27.4%. Compared to 2021, the increase was respectively 30.4% and 26.9%.

The price index of products and services currently consumed in agriculture for the third quarter of 2022 was higher by 38.4% compared to the same quarter of the previous year and by 39.9% compared to 2021.

The biggest increase compared to the third quarter of 2021 was recorded in the prices of: mineral fertilizers - by 122.0%, feedingstuffs - by 36.0% and electricity and fuels - by 32.1%.

Compared to the previous year, the prices of the three inputs also remained the highest, with the increase for mineral fertilizers being 119.0%, feedinfstuffs - 35.5% and electricity and fuels - 36.3%.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute, at the end of September 2022, the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 1.4% as compared to the end of June 2022 and reached 2.28 million.

In the third quarter of 2022, in comparison with the second quarter of 2022, the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 0.8% and reached 1 743 BGN.

The Industrial Production Index decreased by 1.7% in September 2022 compared to August 2022. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

Compared to the previous month, a decrease was reported in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 10.4%, while an increase was seen in the mining and quarrying industry - by 2.8% and in the manufacturing - by 1.4%.

In September 2022, the calendar adjusted Industrial Production Index rose by 11.0% in comparison with the same month of 2021.

A growth compared to September 2021 was registered in the manufacturing - by 13.8% and in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply - by 4.6%, while a decline was observed in the mining and quarrying industry - by 2.4%.

In September 2022, the turnover in ‘Retail trade, except motor vehicles and motorcycles’ at constant prices increased by 0.3% compared to the previous month. The data are preliminary and seasonally adjusted.

An increase in turnover was reported in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ by 0.8%, in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ by 0.5% and in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ by 0.3%.

The calendar adjusted turnover increased by 2.1% in September 2022 as compared to the same month of 2021.

An increase was seen in ‘Retail sale of automotive fuel in specialised stores’ by 8.8% and in ‘Retail sale of non-food products (except fuel)’ by 3.3%, while in ‘Retail sale of food, beverages and tobacco’ a decrease of 2.8% was registered.

Тhe index of production in section ‘Construction’ decreased by 0.2% in September 2022 compared to the previous month. A decrease was observed in the production of building construction - by 0.5%, while the production of civil engineering rose by 0.2%.

As compared to September 2021, the index of production in construction decreased by 1.3%. A decrease was registered both in building construction by 1.7% and in civil engineering - by 0.8%.

In September 2022, 3 124 accommodation establishments - hotels, motels, camping sites, mountain chalets and other establishments for short-term accommodation with more than 10 bed-places, functioned in the country with 134.2 thousand rooms and 303.2 thousand bed-places in them. In comparison with September 2021, the total number of accommodation establishments (functioned during the period) increased by 19.6% and the bed-places in them - by 18.6%.

The total number of nights spent in all accommodation establishments in September 2022 was 2 522.5 thousand, or by 24.6% more in comparison with the same month of the previous year.

In September 2022, the number of arrivals in all accommodation establishments increased by 26.0% compared to the same month of 2021, and reached 781.0 thousand.

The total revenues from nights spent in September 2022 increased by 39.3% compared to September 2021 and reached 165.8 million BGN, as 103.0 million BGN were from non-residents and 62.8 million BGN - from Bulgarian residents.

The exports of goods from Bulgaria to third countries increased by 32.7% compared to the same period of 2021 and amounted to 22 812.5 million BGN, while the imports of goods from third countries grew by 66.0% and added up to 36 109.4 million BGN.

Тhe most notable growth in the exports of goods to third countries compared to the same period of 2021 was recorded in the sections ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (194.3%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (116.0%). A fall was reported in the section ‘Manufactured goods classified chiefly by material’[1] (10.5%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from third countries was recorded in the sections ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (427.5%) and ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (135.6%). The data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The total value of all exported goods to third countries and the EU amounted to 70 021.7 million BGN in the period January - September 2022, which is 40.1% more than the same period of the previous year, while the total value of all imported goods from third countries and the EU added up to 79 896.6 million BGN and grew by 45.4%.

Тhe exports of goods from Bulgaria to the EU increased by 44.6% compared to the same period of 2021 and amounted to 41 678.4 million BGN, while the imports of goods from the EU grew by 33.3% and reached 38 688.2 million BGN.

The most notable growth in the exports of goods to the EU compared to the same period of 2021 was recorded in sections ‘Mineral fuel, lubricants and related materials’ (295.2%) and ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (168.6%). A fall was reported in the section ‘Beverages and tobacco’ (13.9%). The largest growth in the imports of goods from the EU was recorded in the section ‘Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes’ (152.8%). Data are by the Standard International Trade Classification.

The exports to the EU increased by 45.9% in August 2022 compared to the corresponding month of the previous year and amounted to 5 159.6 million BGN, while the imports grew by 36.4% and added up to 4 740.2 million BGN.