Press releases

The producer price index in agriculture in the first quarter of 2017 increased by 4.7% in comparison with the same quarter of 2016. The crop output index increased by 6.7%, as well the animal output index - by 1.8%. In comparison with previous year the prices of agricultural output went up by 6.8% due to the increase in crop output price index - by 7.8% and in animal output price index - by 5.2%.

The index of prices of goods and services currently consumed in agriculture in the first quarter of 2017 was 1.4% above the level in the same quarter of previous year and by 1.7% compared to 2016.

In April 2017, the number of the trips of Bulgarian residents abroad was 548.8 thousand or by 17.7% above the registered in April. The trips with other purposes (as a guest, education and visit the cultural and sport events) in April 2017 composed the greatest share of the total number of trips of Bulgarian residents abroad - 46.4%, followed by the trips with professional purpose - 27.6%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - 26.0%.

In April 2017, the number of arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria was 633.7 thousand or by 13.5% more in comparison with April 2016. An increase was registered in the trips by all observed purposes: with professional purpose - by 19.5%, with other purposes - by 18.1%, and with holiday and recreation purpose - by 6.8%.

According to preliminary data during the first quarter of 2017 in comparison with the same period of 2016 there was an increase both in the goods carried and in the transport performance by the freight land and water transport.

In the first quarter of 2017 the transported passengers by passenger transport (land, water and urban electrical transport) increased by 2.6% compared to the same period of the previous year, while the transport performance decreased by 13.0%.

According to the preliminary data for the first quarter of 2017 the total turnover index in section ‘Transportation, storage and post’, calculated on the basis of seasonally adjusted data increased by 2.4% compared to the fourth quarter of 2016. In section ‘Information and communication’ the turnover index grew by 0.4%.

In the first quarter of 2017, 926.1 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority (89.4%) of them travelled only within the country, 9.4% - only abroad and 1.2% - both in the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2016 the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 68.3%, as the number of the Bulgarian residents travelled only in the country increased by 80.2%, travelled only abroad - by 13.3% while the number of persons travelled both in the country and abroad decreased by 20.2%.

The total income average per household member during the first quarter of 2017 is 1 281 BGN and increases by 3.5% compared to the same quarter of 2016.

The total expenditure average per household member during the first quarter of 2017 is 1 133 BGN and increases by 2.1% in comparison to the same quarter of 2016.

The consumption of main food products average per household member during the first quarter of 2017 compared to the same quarter of 2016 does not change considerable.

According to the seasonally adjusted data, the GDP growth rate in the first quarter of 2017 is 3.4% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute at the end of March 2017 the number of employees under labour contract increased by 0.3% as compared to the end of December 2016 and reached 2.28 million.

In the first quarter of 2017 in comparison with the fourth quarter of 2016 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 1.6% getting 1 006 BGN.

In the first quarter of 2017 the unemployment rate was 6.9% and the employment rate of population aged 20 - 64 was 68.6%.