The domestic meat pigeon industry is booming

(Photo: AM/Tibor Vermes)

The minister reminded that this is supported by the agreement signed with Singapore in April this year and then with Japan in May on the export of large quantities of Hungarian pigeon meat. To serve all of these, the technologically-standard slaughterhouse and processing plant built in Görbeháza is of paramount importance, with the help of which these luxury products produced in Hungary can be produced, sold and promoted worldwide with high added value.

István Nagy recalled that the initiative was launched in December 2018 with the aim of reorganizing and boosting the domestic meat pigeon industry

Pre-chilled pigeons with a uniform body size and a high useful meat ratio can be a profitable export item in addition to ensuring a suitable marketable product base. The minister added that following this, the National Pigeon Program, called “Flying Farm”, was launched as a model project. Since 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture has been providing non-refundable temporary support for this, which can be used for the purchase of carrier pigeons. In the last four years, a total of 55 applications were submitted for the purchase of 38,322 meat pigeons, the subsidy value of which is more than HUF 190 million. István Nagy indicated that the tender for the purchase of breeding pigeons will be reopened in September.

There are several purposes for supporting the sector

The head of the ministry explained that, in addition to the development of the meat pigeon product line and the strengthening of the uniform product base, the purpose of the support is to contribute to the livelihood of the Hungarian families involved in this, and to the population retention power of the region. Dealing with pigeons and small animals is a community-building force, and shared passion, shared successes and memories create such a strong bond in which traditions and cultural values are passed down from generation to generation. He added: this community carries values such as solidarity, responsibility towards each other, nature and the environment. We therefore consider this sector to be supported because through developments and innovations, our rich traditions linked to agriculture can be preserved and renewed here, as well as our intellectual heritage based on experience and professional knowledge – detailed István Nagy.

AM