Agriculture

Agricultural statistics aims at assessing the performance of agriculture. In connection with crop production the statistical domain takes account of the utilisation, rent and sales price of productive land, and the sales of produced products. It also includes data on livestock and the production and sales of animal products. The effects of agriculture on the environment are substantially influenced by the technology used in production, so the statistical domain covers data for example on organic farming and the use of plant protection chemicals. A farm structure survey as well is made at intervals of several years, in which the number, size and labour input of holdings are surveyed.

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Performance of domestic agriculture in 2018 (Economic accounts for agriculture, 2018)

The output and gross value added (GVA) of agriculture at current prices have grown in Hungary since 2012. The output approximated 2.7 thousand billion forints and GVA exceeded 1.1 thousand billion forints in 2018. The volume of the output was 2.7% larger than in 2017, live animals and cereals contributing the most to the growth. Labour input in agriculture went on decreasing. Hungary’s agriculture made up 2.0% of the EU’s agricultural output in 2018, its share was slightly larger than in 2017.

Agricultural producer and input prices, 1st–3rd quarters 2019

Agricultural producer prices rose at a higher rate in quarters 1–3 of 2019 than input prices, so changes in price conditions had a favourable impact on the income position of holders. The producer price index of apples and pigs for slaughter out of agricultural products was outstandingly high in September. Among agricultural inputs it was especially fertilisers prices and expenditure on the construction and maintenance of buildings that went up relatively substantially in January–September 2019.

Value of output rises, Performance of agriculture, 2019 (first estimate)

The total value of output of agriculture increased by 3.1% in 2019. The contributors to this were a 0.7% decrease in the volume of production and a 3.8% rise in producer prices. The volume of crop production lessened by 2.3%, while that of livestock production increased by 1.7% and the volume of services by 1.0%. The production of agricultural products stagnated or went down except for cereals, live animals and potatoes.

Sown area of main crops, 1 June 2019

Productive area, covering nearly 79% of the area of the country, was 7,319 thousand hectares on 1 June 2019, 36.5 thousand hectares smaller than a year earlier. In addition to the withdrawal of arable land areas from production, the area of smaller-share kitchen gardens shrank by 15%. The area of orchards increased by 449 hectares, and more than three times that turned productive compared to 2018. The share of cereals continued to grow in the crop structure.

Performance of agriculture, 2018 (Economic accounts for agriculture, 2018 – second estimate)

The volume of output of crop and livestock production both increased in 2018, so the output of agriculture became 3.6% higher than in 2017. The volume of intermediate consumption grew by 1.8%. Gross value added went up, however, labour input was reduced. In terms of real factor income per work unit, Hungary was ranked among the best-performing EU countries.