PLEVEN, Bulgaria - Bulgarian wine production sector is stable and wants to increase its exports to China, Minister of Agriculture and Food Hristo Bozukov told reporters here on Tuesday.

After a period of stagnation, things have been stabilized thanks to European aid and subsidies, Bozukov said during the celebration of the feast of the wine growers, which was held at the vineyards of the Institute of Viticulture and Enology.

Areas of new vineyards and the production of wine increased, the minister said.

Meanwhile, Bulgarian wine was competitive in global market thanks to its quality and relatively low cost, Bozukov said.

Bozukov told Xinhua that Bulgaria exported to China more than five million liters of wine in 2016. "We hope that the export to China will increase," he said.

Statistics from his ministry showed that 38,712 hectares of vineyards were harvested in the country, production of grapes reached 261,820 tons, and the production of wine has amounted to 1.3 million hectoliters.

Wine production is a traditional occupation for people in the Bulgarian lands since the time of the Thracians.