Bulgaria's Grain Production Stranded by Drought-Stricken Danube River

A severe drought in Bulgaria has severely impacted grain production, causing water levels on the Danube River to drop sharply. By late August, most sections of the river were unnavigable, stranding Bulgarian grain.

Zarko Ivanov, a grain producer from northwestern Bulgaria, reported that his wheat harvest was good this year but he was unable to ship it due to the river's un navigability. He had to use trucks, which proved too expensive.

The Danube River is normally the main route for transporting grain in Bulgaria. The prolonged heat and low rainfall have caused significant disruptions to the country's agricultural exports, which are a crucial part of its foreign trade. In 2025, Bulgarian agricultural exports exceeded 7 billion euros (about 8.2 billion U.S. dollars).