Strengthening breeding and deepening cooperation can give impetus to domestic goose production

(Photo: Pixabay)

The bird flu epidemic that started in the fall of last year and lasted until May this year severely damaged the domestic poultry population, but Hungarian consumers will not have to suffer from a shortage of goods this year either. According to the joint overview of the National Chamber of Agriculture and the Poultry Product Council, as a result of the longest epidemic in recent decades, the sector’s players were forced to record a 20 percent drop in the fattened goose population, while the decrease in meat geese during this period was only four percent. This is largely due to the fact that the roast goose “season” started after the epidemic subsided, so production was not affected excessively by the disease.

Goose meat and foie gras produced in our country are primarily sold to foreign markets

Domestic consumption is negligible, Hungarians consume approximately one kilogram of goose meat per capita per year. This amount has not changed in recent years. Goose is considered a festive dish in Hungarian gastronomy, and goose meat is the most difficult poultry to prepare well. In addition, the younger generation is increasingly open to easy and quick dishes.

Most roast geese are traditionally shipped to German-speaking countries by domestic processors

In recent years, the rise of the Polish goose, which is gaining more and more ground in Europe, has put a particularly strong pressure on our markets. The export of foie gras was given a great boost by the ban on stuffing in Israel, which has also increased the demand for Hungarian kosher foie gras. Currently, our country supplies the world’s Jewish communities with fattened foie gras. Strengthening domestic breeding and improving cooperation would be key for the future of the sector. Only in this way can Hungarian goose compete with Polish goods and maintain its position in export markets.

NAK