More funding available in the fishing industry

By: Trademagazin editor Date: 2017. 12. 01. 18:33

Ferenc Lévai, member of the presidency of the Hungarian Aquaculture and Fisheries Interbranch Organisation and CEO of Aranyponty Zrt. told: in 2016 fish was cultivated in lakes covering an area of 26,500 hectares. Last year 35 hectares of new fish farming lake was created and owners revived 317 hectares of lake. In 2016 approximately 62.4 percent of fish marketed in Hungary was carp.

_{Ferenc Lévai}
_{member of the presidency}
_{Hungarian Aquaculture and Fisheries Interbranch Organisation}

In the last decade the output of fish processing companies increased neither in value nor in volume.

In the last few years about 3,500 tons of Hungarian freshwater fish was processed and they processed about the same quantity of import fish. The most important products are packaged, frozen and cooled fish, and fresh and frozen fish fillet. However, the extra costs of highly processed products reduce the competitiveness of fish processing companies, because shoppers are unwilling to pay more for products like this.

Christmas is the most important period in selling fish, this is the time when more than 30 percent of fish is sold. Live fish is primarily purchased in fish shops, but hypermarkets are also important fish sources. For instance Tesco sells 70 percent of its annual sales, about 400 tons of live carp. Hungary is a net importer of fish products. In 2016 we exported fish and fish products in the value of HUF 7.9 billion and imported them for HUF 30.5 billion. Hungary sold a record quantity of live carp in foreign markets, 3,536 tons. The average export price was HUF 558/kg and the import price was HUF 511/kg.

Between 2014 and 2020 the Hungarian Fisheries Operational Programme (MAHOP) – co-financed by the EU – grants 12 percent more funding to the sector than in the previous cycle, about HUF 16.07 billion. The Agricultural Marketing Centre developed a 7-year communication and promotion strategy to popularise the consumption of freshwater fish. It is very likely that from 1 January 2018 the VAT on fish will reduce from 27 percent to 5 percent. //