In the third quarter of 2022, 1 748.8 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips. The majority - 78.5% of them travelled only within the country, 16.3% - only abroad and 5.2% - both within the country and abroad. Compared to the same quarter of 2021, the total number of the travelled persons aged 15 and over increased by 31.7%.
According to the results of the survey, in the third quarter of 2022:
- The activity rate of the population aged 15 - 64 was 74.7%, increasing by 1.8 percentage points in comparison with the third quarter of 2021.
- The employment rate of the population aged 15 - 64 increased by 2.4 percentage points in comparison with the same quarter of 2021 and reached 71.9%.
- The unemployment rate was 3.7%, or 0.9 percentage points lower in comparison with the third quarter of 2021.
The Labour Force Survey is a sample statistical survey. It is carried out over a sample of non-institutional households. Quarterly, 19.6 thousand households, randomly selected, are observed.
The total income average per household member during the third quarter of 2022 is 2 346 BGN and increases by 21.1% compared to the same quarter of 2021.
The total expenditure average per household member during the third quarter of 2022 is 2 239 BGN and increases by 23.8% compared to the same quarter of 2021.
The consumption of most basic food products average per household member during the third quarter of 2022 decreased compared to the same quarter of 2021. The biggest decrease is in the consumption of bread and paste products - from 19.0 kg to 18.6 kg and fruit - from 20.1 kg to 19.1 kg.
As of September 7, 2021, there were 2 953 937 economically active persons aged 15 and over, or 45.3% of the country's population. 2 661 292 of them were employed, while 292 645 were unemployed. Compared to 2011, the number of economically active persons decreased by 376 thousand, or by 11.3%.
The educational structure of the population aged 7 and over is improving, with 1 560.0 thousand tertiary graduates by September 7, 2021, or one in four (25.5%) being a tertiary graduate. The number of persons with primary education and no education is 666.7 thousand, with their relative share decreasing by 2.8 percentage points compared to the previous census.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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%.
[1] The section includes the following divisions: leather, leather manufactures, n.e.s., and dressed furskins; rubber manufactures, n.e.s.; cork and wood manufactures (excluding furniture); paper, paperboard and articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard; textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, n.e.s., and related products; non-metallic mineral manufactures, n.e.s.; iron and steel; non-ferrous metals.