A small, neat bag full with dried lavender: the souvenir is ubiquitous in Mediterranean countries. It should be in the portfolio of Bulgarian souvenirs, too, along with vials of rose water. For over a decade now, this country has been the world's leader in production of fine lavender.

Lavender production is not new to Bulgaria. All over the country, the low mountain slopes of the northern Stara Planina included, it has been grown since at least the 19th century. In the 20th century, production was industrialised, first by entrepreneurs mainly in the Valley of Roses, and then by the planned economy of Communist Bulgaria. Unlike the Bulgarian rose, which can be harvested only by hand and needs a particular climate to thrive, lavender is less fussy. It needs mainly dry soil with a particular acidity and summer heat, and can be mechanically harvested. The lifespan of a plant is about 25-30 years and the market is almost guaranteed. Lavender oil has a wide range of applications in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

For some time in the 1980s Bulgaria was a leading international exporter of lavender oil. As with so many other things, lavender oil production decreased after the collapse of Communism in 1989, but gradually revived.

In the 2010s, industrial lavender production in Bulgaria left the confines of the Valley of Roses, the thin strip of land between the Stara Planina and the Sredna Gora mountain ranges which has particularly good conditions for the farming of oil bearing plants, including the famed Bulgarian rose. Lavender has spread far beyond, including to a region which was for centuries known for another type of crop. Dobrudzha, in the northeast, is traditionally and deservedly known as Bulgaria's granary, as its heavy black soils are excellent for wheat and other cereals. The lavender craze that took over Bulgaria has changed that. Today, while travelling in the Dobrudzha in summer, you will sometimes see fields of splendid lavender rather than the more subtle gold of wheat.

Why the sudden popularity of lavender?

Lured by the eager market, the seeming ease of cultivation and harvest, and the quick profit to be made, entrepreneur after entrepreneur jumped on the bandwagon. Lavender fields began to expand, distilleries were opened, farmers invested in or hired expensive harvesting equipment. The major markets for Bulgarian produce are France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the United States, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. Almost all the produce is exported, as the Bulgarian cosmetics industry was too small to count.

Some entrepreneurs even made additional cash by charging anyone willing to pay to have their wedding photos taken among romantic lavender rows.

In 2012, Bulgaria became the world's leading manufacturer and exporter of lavender oil, replacing the previous leader, France. This change was driven partly by increased production and cheaper labour costs in Bulgaria. It was also driven by a devastating disease that decimated the French lavender fields. These were all competitive advantages although some experts claimed the quality of Bulgarian lavender oil was still inferior to that produced in Provence.

However, for some time now lavender production in Bulgaria has been under threat. Since the summer of 2023, the media has reported the supposed end of production in the Northeast, quoting an unprecedented number of owners of lavender fields, seed stock and processing equipment selling up.

What happened?

In the late 2010s, the uncontrolled planting, often by inexperienced entrepreneurs trying to cash in on the hype, led to a decline in the quality of plants. Poor plants produced low quality oils and the price of lavender oil dropped accordingly. The yield was also affected. In spite of more fields being planted with lavender, the average yield decreased year on year. Price dropped, too. These days, a kilogram of lavender oil can fetch between 20 and 30 euros. In the past, the prices could reach 125-140 euros per kilogram.

The quality of this mass produced lavender oil was too low, too. Bulgarian producers realised that the lavender market was not unlimited and that it required reliable quality. Manufacturers and experts suddenly began discussing how the business needed to be regulated to adopt good practices and properly sourced plants if it wanted to survive.

And there is climate change. Sudden colds, heavy rains, prolonged droughts and new diseases have all disrupted the plants, significantly affecting the harvest.

Despite the gloom, however, at least one thing is certain: Bulgarians are still happy to have their photos taken against a backdrop of bright lavender.