Despite the drought, there will be no shortage of high-quality Hungarian fish

By: STA Date: 2025. 12. 16. 10:00

🎧 Hallgasd a cikket: Nyelv: Sebesség: 1.05×

Although the drought has caused serious damage to domestic fish farms this year, there will still be plenty of fresh, Hungarian freshwater fish on the Christmas table. According to the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) and the Hungarian Aquaculture and Fisheries Professional Association (MA-HAL), carp is still the most sought-after fish species, and most customers prefer ready-to-cook products.

(Photo: Pixabay)

Drought is a recurring problem in domestic fish production every year; in addition to the lack of water, the quality of existing waters is also deteriorating, and the water temperature rises rapidly during hot summers. In addition to the lack of precipitation, farmers also have to deal with fish losses caused by birds every year. Despite this, the domestic Christmas fish supply is ensured this year as well. Consumers can choose from high-quality fish products.

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Thus, healthy and well-conditioned fish were raised in Hungarian pond farms. Hungarian fish farms are already working at full speed, which is no coincidence: 55-60 percent of the fish produced for eating purposes are sold during the Christmas period. Preparation is complete, as the most suitable period for autumn fishing is the period between October and December.

The offer this year also ranges from live fish to products of various degrees of processing (horseshoe, fillet)

It is now a basic expectation on the part of customers that the product is bone-free, fish with scales are slowly disappearing from the market, and only a few people buy live fish anymore. Hungarian pond farms have also sensed the changing consumer demands and are trying to serve customers with the widest possible product range. As is tradition, carp is expected to be the best-selling fish this season, but more and more people are also looking for roach and grass carp, and consumers who are wary of barbel prefer predatory species, catfish and pike perch.

Domestic fish consumption is not very high

In addition, last year – according to fish farmers – demand shrank further, which can be primarily attributed to high inflation. The decline in the 2024 Christmas season will hopefully not be followed by another decline in demand this year. Fish farms hope that consumption will remain at the level of previous years in the period before the holidays.

NAK