Last year, 1.7 million hectoliters of wine were consumed in Hungary

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 06. 16. 11:19

Last year, a total of 1.7 million hectoliters of wine were consumed in Hungary, an average of 17.1 liters per capita, said Péter Gál, Head of Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, at the meeting of the Grapes, Wine and Pálinka Subcommittee of the Agriculture Committee of the National Assembly.

He added that average wine consumption is also decreasing in Hungary in line with global trends. Wine consumption peaked in Hungary in 2017, and has been continuously decreasing since then, he noted. Among the reasons for the decrease, he highlighted the increase in wine prices and the active activities of anti-alcohol groups.

Péter Gál also said that Hungarian wine exports increased in 2024, with more than 1.4 million hectoliters of wine and sparkling wine being exported abroad.

The value of wine exports increased from 129 million euros the year before last to 149 million euros. Meanwhile, imports remained essentially unchanged, with 95,000 hectoliters of wine imported to Hungary, two-thirds of which were bottled imports.

Gabriella Szmilkó, the interprofessional director of the National Council of Mountain Villages, highlighted that the declining wine consumption is also a consequence of young adults consuming other types of alcohol rather than wine. She also mentioned that last year, slightly more than a year earlier, 170 hectares of vines were planted, thus the nationally registered production area increased to 56,400 hectares.