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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The organic farming area size has never been this large before

More and more farmers are taking on organic farming, their number was 5136 in 2019. Compared to 2018 the ecological farming area size grew by 45% in 2019, partly due to the broadening support frame of the rural development programme. 5.7% of all agricultural area, 303 thousand hectares, was consecrated to organic farming. The size of meadows, pastures representing 61% of the organic farming areas increased above average in one year, that of the arable land, representing 32%, grew in a lesser degree.

Rate of increase of agricultural producer prices decelerates further in May

The 12-month rate of increase of agricultural producer prices accelerated in the first three months of 2020 and decelerated from April. The price rise of 7.1% in May was owing to an 11% increase in crop product prices, since the price of live animals and animal products lessened by 0.4%. The price of wheat was 3.9% lower and that of maize 3.0% higher out of the main cereals than in May 2019. Oil-seed crops became 20% more expensive over the past year, within which a relatively significant price rise was measured for sunflower.

Procurement price of pigs for slaughter further cut in May

The May 2020 procurement price of pigs for slaughter was cut by 3.3% compared to a year earlier and by 15% compared to the previous month. This was among others owing to the declining turnover of restaurants and hotels, which was one of the consequences of the measures introduced in many European countries to contain the spread of the epidemic. For major poultry breeds, procurement prices also lessened compared to one year earlier except for turkeys for slaughter. Honey prices substantially rose.

Agricultural producer and input prices, 1st quarter 2020

Agricultural producer prices were up by 6.2% in the 1st quarter of 2020 compared to the same period of the previous year. The price rise of live animals and animal products (16%) was more substantial than that of crop products (1.2%). Cereals, potatoes and vegetables prices were reduced, the price of fruits markedly rose. The price of live animals increased by 22%, within which pig prices by 50%. There was a smaller rise in input prices (0.4%) than in producer prices, the value of agricultural terms of trade was 105.8%.

Livestock, 1 December 2019

More cattle, about as many chickens and fewer sheep and pigs were held in Hungary on 1 December 2019 than a year earlier. Larger quantities of slaughter cattle and chickens, cow's milk and hen's eggs for human consumption and smaller quantities of slaughter sheep and pigs were procured in 2019. The average procurement price of different live animals and animal products changed differently. The price rise was the highest for slaughter pigs (22%) and the price decrease for slaughter ducks (–3.0%).

Harvest results of main crops, 2019

The precipitation in May had a beneficial effect on the harvest results of ear cereals, but the draught in the middle of summer had an unfavourable influence on the yield of most arable crops harvested in autumn. Of the main vegetables less was produced than in 2018. The quantity of apple and sour cherry largely decreased because of extreme weather impacts and the base effect of the outstanding production in 2018. Hungary still has an important role in maize and sunflower production in the EU.

Performance of agriculture, 2019 (Economic accounts for agriculture, 2019 – second estimate)

The output of agriculture in Hungary has grown at current prices since 2012, reaching HUF 2,789 billion in 2019. Crop production contributed to the performance by 57% and livestock production by 36%, the volume of output of the former was smaller, that of the latter larger than in the previous year. Gross value added was up by 3.0%. Labour input in agriculture went on shrinking. Hungary’s agriculture made up roughly 2.0% of the EU’s agricultural output in 2019, similarly to the previous year.

Procured quantity of cow's milk increasing again after two years

Cow’s milk has a key role in our meals. 2.1% more of it was procured from agricultural enterprises in 2019 than in the previous year. With this the volume – following a decrease of two years – rose again, reaching the highest level in the past few years. The protein and fat content of milk hardly changed in the meantime. Of major dairy products except for butter more was produced in 2019 than a year earlier, a significant increase was measured in the total weight of produced cream, as well as cheese and curd.

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.