P. Atanasova*

*Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Technics and Technology, Trakia University, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria

(Manuscript received 12 May 2024; accepted for publication 29 July 2024)

Abstract. The challenges in the Agro sector increase with each passing year. Innovations in agricultural machinery meet the growing needs of this sector of the economy. The purpose of the current article is, on the one hand, to analyze the changes occurring in the sector, to highlight good practices on a global scale, and, on the other hand, to analyze the data regarding the replacement and modernization of agricultural machinery compared to the gross added value for the sector. The analyzed data are at two levels of aggregation: national and regional (district level). Methods of descriptive statistics were used, as well as method analyses taking into account the change in employment in the industry. The provided economic analysis gives a clear idea of the state of the agricultural sector: a decrease in its share in the country’s economy, an uneven distribution of agricultural machinery by region, and a decrease in the number of employed persons. The results can be used to improve national policies and programs for the development of the Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors in the Republic of Bulgaria.