Agriculture

The total output of agriculture was above 4.0 thousand billion forints in 2024, being 8.0% lower than in the previous year. The lessening resulted from a combined narrowing of 4.4% in the total volume of production and of 3.8% in the price level. The volume of crop production was 11% smaller and that of livestock production 4.9% larger. The lessening in production affected almost all product groups, except for potatoes, live animals and animal products. The performance of agriculture became lower first of all owing to the weather with a lack of precipitation and the summer drought, which factors held back crop production. The expanding volume of livestock production did not compensate for the effect of the lessening producer price level of the sector.

Significant events in village life were pig slaughter and pig slaughter feasts, which started traditionally on 30 November, Andrew’s Day. Not only the immediate family took part in the all-day work, but it was also a custom to invite neighbours, relatives and friends. The circumstances of pig keeping and pig slaughtering substantially changed in the last decades. The number of small farms fell, and that of domestic slaughtering shows a decreasing trend. In 2023, three-quarters of Hungary’s pig population of 2.5 million belonged to pig keepers each having a population exceeding 5,000 pigs.

The idea of the smoke free day originated in the United States with the aim of helping, assisting people in quitting smoking. On the initiative of the WHO the third Thursday of November was declared smoke-free day on international level. Our smoking habits have a strong impact on out health. The proportion of smokers decreased in Hungary during the last decade, still, this ratio remains high in international comparison.

In 2023, in addition to a record number of 68 thousand sport hunters, nearly 3 thousand professional hunters performed tasks of wildlife management and wildlife protection management in Hungary. Out of the 50 best antlered deer trophies in Hungary so far, 20 were taken in Zala County, 11 in Somogy County, and 15-15 of the best fallow deer trophies were taken in Hajdú-Bihar and Tolna Counties. The revenues of hunting companies from shooting for hire and the provision of related services increased to a peak value of HUF 18.2 billion in 2023.

The yearbook provides an overview of Hungary's demographic, social and economic processes, environmental characteristics and their changes over time, with the help of tens of thousands of data of 500 tables, graphs and maps. Innovatively, the Tourism, catering chapter in the volume includes the gross receipts of tourist accommodation establishments by type of accommodation. Another change is that this year the Regional data chapter already presents territorial data by tourism area, giving greater emphasis to tourist destinations.

Along with urbanisation and industrialisation, alcohol consumption habits changed in Hungary, with beer taking over the place of the hitherto more popular wine in the 1960s. Both production and consumption peaked in the 1980s and have been slowly declining in both areas since then. Today we are in the middle of the EU in beer consumption, with per capita consumption about half that of Czechia, the leader.

Geopolitical tensions continued to overshadow economic developments in 2023, with the gross domestic product falling by 0.9%. Inflationary pressures gradually eased, but the 17.6% annual increase in consumer prices led to a decline in real earnings and consumption, and negatively affected investment decisions. Despite the economic difficulties, employment has reached a record high. In 2023, the number of deaths and births continued to fall, in addition to the decrease in the number of women of childbearing age.

Hungary’s agriculture contributed to the gross value added of the national economy to a higher extent than the EU average (1.9%), by 5.4% according to preliminary data in 2023. The volume of the total output of agriculture grew by 25% (after the previous year, which was a year of drought). A total of 14.9 million tonnes of cereals, 65% more than in 2022, was harvested on 2.4 million hectares. The producer price of cereals decreased by 39%.

The output of agriculture exceeded 4 thousand billion forints in Hungary in 2022, which was 19% higher than a year earlier. The growth was due to a 44% increase in prices. Owing to the weather with little precipitation, there was a decrease in the harvest of all crops, and a significant rise in expenditure hindered the performance of livestock production, too. Hungary made up 1.9% of the EU’s agricultural output. The net amount of subsidies on domestic production was 809 billion forints.

The number of farms was down by 19% to 196 thousand in Hungary from 2020, and the sizes of farms and the average numbers of animals increased. In addition to the ageing of the farming community, the proportion of the managers of farms with full agricultural training rose. There was no serious change in the size and structure of the utilised agricultural area, however, the size of irrigable areas grew. The cattle, pig and sheep populations became smaller and the poultry population larger on 1 June 2023 compared to one year earlier.

In line with EU trends, there was a decrease in the populations of all major livestock species by the end of 2022. Livestock numbers were unfavourably affected by fodder prices, having risen because of the poor cereal production, and by drastically increased energy prices, which caused a significant price rise, and, through this, a decrease in the demand. Many farmers disposed of a part of their livestock or finished their activities.

Because of the extreme drought, the harvest of the main field crops was significantly lower in 2022 than in the previous year. 10% less barley, 21% less wheat, harvested in the largest quantity, and 57% less maize, exposed the most to the drought, were reaped. The yield of sunflower, despite the growth in its production area, was down by 29% and that of rape, grown on a smaller area than previously, by 31%. As an impact of crop failures and uncertainties in supplies, procurement prices rose to record levels.

The volume of procured agricultural products fell by 22% in the 1st quarter of 2023 compared to the same period of the previous year. Because of the crop failure caused by the drought, the decrease was 48% for cereals and 41% for industrial crops. Farmers sold 7.1% less vegetables and 4.1% less fruits. The procurement of live animals was 1.2% higher and that of animal products 6.4% lower than in January–March 2022, the increase for the former being consistent with a relatively low base.