Hungary: Almost 30 countries impose import restrictions on Hungarian poultry products as Avian influenza cases surge

More and more countries introducing poultry import restrictions due to Avian influenza

The Food Chain Safety Office (NÉBIH) has recently reported on the state of restrictions on the import of Hungarian poultry and poultry products by various countries, due to the increasing presence of highly pathogenic Avian influenza in Hungary. These countries are the following: Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, the United States, and Vietnam.

Not all restrictions are universal, some countries introduced blanket import bans for all poultry products from Hungary, while others banned poultry products from specific, affected regions. China has banned the import of Hungarian poultry meat and products entirely, while South Korea also introduced a blanket ban with the exception of products subjected to sterilizing heat treatment.

In the United Kingdom, products originating from areas restricted by EU member states have been added to the ban list. Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Canada have also introduced bans covering several counties. In Mexico, restrictions are in place on day-old chicks and hatching eggs from Békés and Somogy counties. Meanwhile, in Singapore, the import of ornamental birds, poultry, and poultry products from the counties of Békés, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Csongrád-Csanád, Hajdú-Bihar, Fejér, Bács-Kiskun, Baranya, Komárom-Esztergom, and Somogy is prohibited. The United States instituted a restriction on certain poultry products for multiple EU countries affected.

The whole list with details on various restrictions can be found (in Hungarian) on the NÉBIH website.

Avian influenza is on the rise all over Europe. The outbreak in Hungary is the most severe this year, reports Agrárágazat.hu, with a sharp increase in cases during the fall. In the first week of November alone, 30 outbreaks were reported. Bulgaria and Italy also reported cases, while in Austria, 200,000 animals had to be culled.

Livestock vaccine plant to be built in Hungary

The company Ceba-Phylaxia Zrt. has initiated the construction of a new animal vaccine factory in Monor, Pest County, in Central Hungary. The 7,000 m² facility will produce fermentation-based, multicomponent inactivated vaccines for animals to prevent infectious diseases, manufacturing over 8 billion doses of vaccine annually. The facility will commence operations in 2026.

Vg.hu reports that, when the Monor site becomes operational, the company will produce more than 80 billion doses of vaccine in six manufacturing units in Hungary. Out of these vaccines, some are either exclusively manufactured in Hungary, or the largest quantity in the world is produced in the country. The development of the company, which operates as a strategic partner of the government, will be made possible with €20.1 million in state subsidy, thanks to the collaboration with the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency (HIPA).

According to Szamkó Tamás, CEO of Ceva-Phylaxia, the Ceva group is committed to Hungary in the long term and considers the high-value, successful work taking place at Ceva-Phylaxia to be of utmost importance, the Vg.hu report states. Ceva is the fifth-largest global animal health company, employing 7,000 people across 47 countries, adds the portal.

Increasing processing tomato figures and table tomato import

The World Processing Tomato Council’s (WPTC) October forecast stated that the quantity of processing tomatoes in Hungary could increase by 9% to 120,000 tons in 2024. According to a new report by the Central Statistical Office (KSH), in the first eight months of 2024, tomato imports (fresh or chilled) grew by 3% to 17.6 thousand tons. These developments were reported this week by Trademagazin.hu.

The portal also reports that, based on the latest figures by the Market Price Information System of the Institution for Agricultural Economics (AKI PÁIR), in the period between weeks 1-47, 2024, at the Budapest Wholesale Market, the producer price of domestically grown round tomatoes decreased by 7% to €1.64 per kilogram, while the price of cluster tomatoes increased by 1% to €2.10/kg, and the price of cocktail tomatoes increased by 6% to €4.05/kg, y-o-y.

The share of various exporting countries changed in the past year. Imports from Spain increased by 19% to 6.3 thousand tons, from Germany increased by 80% to 1.6 thousand tons, while imports from Slovakia decreased by 17% to 3.1 thousand tons, and from Turkey decreased by 58% to 1.4 thousand tons. Tomato exports increased by 15% to 16.8 thousand tons, primarily directed toward the Czech Republic (7.3 thousand tons) and Slovakia (3.3 thousand tons) during the observed period.

Fisheries had a rough year

Despite complications caused by the summer drought, there will still be enough fish for Hungarian consumers this holiday season, reported the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) recently after a press conference held together with the domestic alliances of the seafood and fisheries industries.

2024 was a mixed bag for extensive fish farming businesses. Like last year, weather conditions and fluctuating water levels significantly impacted production. In particular, many fish farms in Transdanubia faced severe water shortages, leading to numerous cases of fish mortality due to oxygen depletion. In the Great Plains, the presence of an irrigation channel network makes it easier to ensure water replenishment, this however incurs heavy costs.

In Hungary, 55-60% of fisheries’ sales are made in the Christmas holiday season. Although Hungarians consume less seafood than the EU average, the traditional Hungarian Christmas dinner includes fish.

For carp and other popular fishes, including the popular European catfish, African catfish, and pike-perch, the usual high quality is ensured, NAK’s press release states.

Christmas candy prices rising due to cocoa price increase

Hungary’s favorite Christmas candy, szaloncukor, will be more expensive in the holiday season, reports Pénzcentrum.hu. The portal interviewed Balázs Erdélyi of the Hungarian Confectionary Alliance on the reasons behind rising prices.

According to Balázs Erdélyi, one of the main reasons for the price increase is the drastic rise in the global market price of cocoa beans, which has more than doubled in a year. However, other input costs, like energy and labor have also risen sharply.

Szaloncukor (meaning “parlor candy”) is Hungary’s famous Christmas candy, which is commonly consumed around Christmas, or even placed on the Christmas tree together with the decorations. Even with rising food prices, demand always remains high for this qualified Hungaricum candy type which, along with poppy or walnut-filled sweet rolls, are an essential, inalienable part of Christmas for Hungarian families.

In the past years, high-quality, artisan szaloncukor varieties made from premium ingredients has also become increasingly popular, Mr. Erdélyi told the portal.