Demand for high-quality Hungarian lamb is growing abroad

By: STA Date: 2025. 09. 03. 09:00

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Sheep farming is one of the most sustainable livestock farming sectors, and the stability of the sector is ensured by significant exports, as Hungarian sheep and lamb meat is increasingly well-known and in demand on the international market. It is important that by purchasing domestic lamb, consumers can not only get a healthy and high-quality source of protein, but also help Hungarian livestock farmers, said Tamás Tarpataki at the Spanish-Hungarian opening event promoting sheep and lamb consumption in Budapest.

(Photo: Pixabay)

Tamás Tarpataki explained that domestic livestock farming, including small ruminant farming, has developed a lot in recent years. The players in the sector can be proud that Hungarian lamb meat is becoming increasingly well-known abroad and the demand for it is increasing. Hungarian producers continue to ship the most to Italy, but there is also significant interest from other Western European countries, including the French, German, Belgian and Dutch markets. Thanks to its excellent quality, Hungarian exports are competitive even with EU imports from New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Hungarian live lamb exports showed significant growth last year: in the first four months of 2024, they increased by 21 percent and their value by 33 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, he added.

According to the Deputy Secretary of State, lamb meat is beneficial based on its physiological effects, as it is an excellent low-cholesterol source of protein

He added: the aim of the campaign is not only to encourage consumption, but also to demonstrate that the sheep and goat sector is sustainable, preserves valuable traditions, contributes to the protection of biodiversity and the rural ecosystem, and to the economy of sparsely populated areas. The opening event of the “Spanish-Hungarian Multiprogramme to Promote Sheep and Lamb Consumption” was held in Budapest with EU funding, which will provide funding for the implementation of common goals between 2025 and 2027. The campaign by the Sheep and Goat Interprofessional Organisation and its Spanish sister organisation, Interovic, aims to increase sheep and lamb consumption, reposition products and reach younger generations – all along the values of sustainability, quality and tradition.