József Viski: we are committed to supporting the grape and wine sector

MTI/Zoltan Kocsis

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 Secretary of State 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 onwards, with the same level of co-financing, they can provide the same volume of support to agriculture, the food industry, including viticulture and winemaking.

He said that almost the entire spectrum of grape and wine production is covered by support in one way or another, and that the common agricultural policy provides opportunities for this in Hungary and the European Union, as well as sets limits.

It was recalled that 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 Secretary of State highlighted that the promotion of wine consumption, the 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 common and individual responsibility.

He said about the positives: 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.

He said that the strategy emphasizes strengthening foreign markets, increasing Hungarian wine exports, and promoting responsible wine consumption. is..

Year after year, Hungarian wine is part of the budget, and hopefully they can maintain this in the following years as well. The foreign market requires a larger budget, and they can ensure a presence there with greater financial expenditure – he added.

He said about the target markets that 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 that 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 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.