Bulgaria is the world leader in lavender growing and oil production after managing to steal the first place from France in just several years, French newspaper Figaro reported.

In the Valley of the Roses in Bulgaria the lavender fields can also be found, taken care of by seasonal workers. The working techniques are old, but up to 300 kg of petals a day can be gathered, which are later distilled, the newspaper says.

"Hungary, Moldova, Ukraine and Crimea, as well as China stopped their lavender production in the last 30 years and left it all to Bulgaria", said Nikolay Nenov, expert at the Bulgarian National Association for Essential Oil, Perfumery and Cosmetics.

"Bulgarian lavender oil producers export around 70% of their production to France. They do not only sell to French cosmetic companies, but also to local lavender oil producers," lavender oil producer, Filip Lisicharov confirmed.

In 2011 in Bulgaria 60 tonnes of lavender oil were produced. This year, producers hope to distill 120 tonnes.