Slaughter rates up in Hungary

According to a new report from the Agricultural Economics Institute (AKI), in the first half of 2021, slaughterhouse processing increased in all sectors of Hungary's livestock sector. While the overall number of pigs has decreased this year, the number of sows sent to slaughterhouses has increased, as has the performance of the poultry industry since the lifting of the pandemic measures.

In the first six months of 2021, the number of slaughtered cattle increased by 1%, while the number of pigs and poultry increased by 5.9% and 8.9%, respectively, compared to the same period in 2020.

39% of the sow herd has been sent to slaughterhouses this year, which means Hungary will see a reduction in the number of pigs next year. A possible major driver of this change was the growing difficulties in the market. According to the latest data from the Central Statistical Office (KSH), the purchase price of live animals rose to 1.17 euros per kilogram by March, but the price did not change during the second quarter, and actually fell below 1.11 euros by the third quarter. /kg. Meanwhile, trends in the feed market create difficulties for livestock farmers - in the first two quarters alone, feed prices rose by 22%. The Ministry of Agriculture allocated 3.34 million euros to compensate domestic pig farmers and a national campaign to promote pork consumption.

In January-August 2021, the volume of slaughtered sheep and cattle increased by 47% and 1%, respectively. In the case of livestock trade, exports increased by 62% and imports by 12%.

The number of poultry slaughtered also increased this year, with 79% of the animals being chickens. However, according to the latest data from KSH, the year-on-year increase in purchase prices for slaughter poultry eased from 9.7% in May to 9.2% at the end of the period. 

For waterfowl (which is an export-driven sector), the disruptions caused by the collapse of the HORECA industries in 2020 now appear to have been resolved. The overall numbers of ducks and geese slaughtered increased by 43% and 18% in the first and second quarters of 2021 respectively, while the number of turkeys killed decreased by 13.8%, according to agroberichtenbuitenland.nl.