January 5 (SeeNews) - Bulgaria held the EU's third-largest share in the trade of skis and snowboards in 2021, preceded only by Austria and France, the European statistical office said on Thursday.
Bulgaria exported 630,800 pairs of skis and snowboards in 2021, or 11% of the production sold to both EU and non-EU countries, Eurostat said in a data release. Compared to 2020, this represented an increase of 12%.
By comparison, Austria exported some 2.03 million snowboards and pairs of skis, or 35% of the total, while 648,700 were exported by France.
In 2021, as much as 3.5 million pairs of skis and individual snowboards were exported to other EU countries and 2.3 million -- to non-EU countries, the data showed.
In 2021, the 27 EU countries produced 3.6 million pairs of skis and individual snowboards, or 3% more than in 2020, Eurostat said.
Finalnd-based company Amer Sports is Bulgaria's largest ski manufacturer, with a production base in Chepelare, near the ski resort of Pamporovo. Amer Sports, which produces the Atomic and Salomon brands, has other production facilities in Romania, Austria, Canada and the US, and also co-owns factories with local subcontractors in Eastern Europe, according to data on its website.