At the end of 2010, 25 648 hectares were farmed organically, constituting 0.47 percent of the total usable
farmland in Bulgaria. In addition, there are large areas certified for the collection of wild fruit, herbs and
mushrooms. Organic animal breeding was still underdeveloped in 2010, with only a small number of certified farms
and animals. Organic agriculture had 46429 beehives under organic management at the end of 2010.
Organic farming and integrated farming represent real opportunities on several levels, contributing to rural
economies. The environmental advantages of these farming systems can bring significant benefits for the economy
as well as to help for social inclusion of disabled or mentally handicapped people, long-term unemployed persons,
drug addicts or socially disadvantaged people, children and juveniles with behavioral and learning difficulties. In
this way there are opportunities to establish farms which integrated old people, schoolchildren or nursery school
children