Magazine: The health trend is here to stay

Péter Sebesta
president
Hungarian Cooling and
Canning Industry
Association (MHKSZ)

The Hungarian deep-freezing and canning industry’s contribution to the nation’s food industry output is approximately 10 percent, with a production value of HUF 170-190 billion. However, the sector’s share in food export nears 20 percent. Péter Sebesta, president of the of Hungarian Cooling and Canning Industry Association (MHKSZ) told that the main products are sweet corn, pea, sour cherry and other fruits. The level of production has been growing a little in recent years.

There have been two negative market influences recently, the Russian embargo and the safeguard import duty that Turkey imposed on corn. Mr Sebesta told that many businesses in the sector are in need of capital for technological development. Luckily the current EU budgetary cycle has offered funding opportunities for development projects. However, these EU resources were only available to small and medium-sized firms.

Most market players are producing using modern equipment. Hungarians eat little fresh or processed vegetable if compared with other EU countries. Hopefully the health trend of recent years will have a positive influence on the domestic market of frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, which is responsible for 50 percent of sales in the segment. The president told that the current economic environment provides the setting for solving the workforce problem in the short and medium term, with the help of automation and digitalisation. Another objective for canning companies is sustainable operation.