We are committed to supporting the grape and wine sector

(Photo: AM)

He added that the European Union has come up with a proposal that would greatly reduce the amount of resources that can be spent on the common agricultural policy in some European member states in 2028. The State Secretary highlighted that they are fighting in every possible forum to change this proposal of the European Commission, and they are committed to ensuring that from 2028 they can provide the same volume of support for agriculture, the food industry, including viticulture and winemaking, with the same level of co-financing as before. He said: almost the entire spectrum of grape and wine production is covered by subsidies in one way or another, and the common agricultural policy in Hungary and the European Union provides opportunities for this, as well as sets limits. He reminded: Hungary’s decision in 2020 provided 80 percent national co-financing for the common agricultural policy resources, despite the fact that these are shrinking year by year in the European Union.

The State Secretary highlighted: popularizing wine consumption, learning about wine culture, and wine marketing are ongoing tasks

Hungarian wine is not only an economic and gastronomic value, but also a national and cultural heritage, the preservation and strengthening of which is a shared and individual responsibility. Regarding the positives, he said: although world wine consumption decreased by 3 percent from 2023 to 2024, Hungarian wine exports increased by more than 15 percent. The positive trend is continuing, with 40 million liters of bottled wine exported in 2025, a 4.5 percent increase compared to 2024, and the export of bottled wines has been continuously expanding since 2022, he pointed out. Pál Rókusfalvy, the government commissioner responsible for national wine marketing, explained in his opening speech at the conference: the strategy of the Hungarian Wine Marketing Agency (MBÜ) is built on three pillars, the volcanic soils focused on the uniqueness of the Carpathian Basin, our unique grape varieties, and the brands developed in our historical wine regions. He said that the strategy emphasizes strengthening foreign markets, increasing Hungarian wine exports, and also promoting responsible wine consumption. Year after year, Hungarian wine is part of the budget, and hopefully they can maintain this in the following years. The foreign market requires a larger budget, and they can ensure a presence there with greater financial expenditure, he added. Regarding target markets, he said: they strengthen their work with a continuous presence, and local agencies provide great help in this. Online media campaigns are unavoidable but successful in the United States and Asia. He also called the continuous expansion of Asian reach important.

The government commissioner highlighted: Hungarian wine is able to strengthen its position in foreign markets despite the pressure of the global recession

While exports were 1.12 million hectoliters in 2023, they were 1.29 million hectoliters in 2024, which represents a 15.5 percent increase and 18 percent in value. The export of bottled wines increased from 2024 to 2025 by 4.5 percent. He also drew attention to the fact that the German market is performing very well, while in 2022 the proportion of quality wines in exports was 30 percent, in 2025 it will be 37-40 percent. They predict further strengthening of export performance, he emphasized. The government commissioner also spoke about foreign market activities, including cooperation with China. He said: for 2026 and the next four-year period, they plan to build a campaign for the United States in addition to Asia.

AM/MTI