Acta agriculturae slovenica, suplement 1(avgust 2004), 99–103. 12th Int. Symp. “Animal Science Days”, Bled, Slovenia, Sept. 2–4, 2004. Original scientific article Izvirni znanstveni prispevek THE EXPORT AND DOMESTIC SALES OF THE HUNGARIAN ORGANIC FOOD Gábor GYARMATI a) a) Univ. of Pécs, Fac. of Economics, Ph.D. School of Regional Policy and Economics, Rákóczi út 80, H-7622, Pécs, Hungary, M.Sc. ABSTRACT The function of the organic production has been inreasing in the EU and in Hungary. The Hungarian organic products are mainly exported and the rest of them are sold in the domestic market. 70–90% of the all production certified was exported. The main products are autumn wheat, sunflower, maize, cattle and sheep. The production amount reached 71,714 tons in 2001. The main countries of the Hungarian export are: Germany, Switzerland, Austria. The forming of domestic market is necessary and expected in future. Key words: sustainable agriculture / organic food / Hungary IZVOZ IN PRODAJA MADŽARSKIH EKOLOŠKIH ŽIVIL NA DOMAČEM TRŽIŠČU IZVLEČEK Vloga ekološke prireje se je v EU in na Madžarskem povečala. Madžarski ekološki proizvodi so predvsem namenjeni izvozu in le manjši delež se jih proda na domačem tržišču. 70–90% vseh potrjenih proizvodov je bilo prodano na tuja tržišča. Glavni proizvodi so jesenska pšenica, sončnice, koruza, govedo in ovce. V letu 2001 je proizvodnja dosegla 71714 ton. Najpomembnejše uvoznice madžarskih ekoloških proizvodov so: Nemčija, Švica in Avstrija. V prihodnosti se bo moralo oblikovati močnejše domače tržišče. Ključne besede: sonaravno kmetijstvo / ekološka živila / Madžarska INTRODUCTION The importance and part of organic food have increased in Hungary for last years. The consumers have taken their health into consideration much rather nowadays. This has resulted the growing of the market of organic food in Hungary. The hungarian organic food has been made in a controlling method controlled by for example Biokontroll Hungária kht. As export market prices are higher than domestic prices, the hungarian organic farmers prefer export to selling their products in domestic markets. The rest of the productions have been sold here. The main export products are: cereals, fodder plants. (maize, wheat, pumpkin seed, sunflower) (Kissné, 2000., 20.p., Gyarmati, 2001, 18–20. p.) MATERIAL AND METHODS I have mainly used the statistical data of Biokontroll Hungária kht. and own reserch from questionnaire filled out by hungarian consumers. Biokontroll Hungária kht is the most significant Hungarian organisation of organic production and producers. This organisation is recognised in the E.U.. The statistical data of Biokontroll Hungária kht. are available from 1998 to 2003. These show the changes and development of the production and commercial of organic food in http://www.bfro.uni-lj.si/zoo/publikacije/zbornik/suplementi/index.htm Acta agriculturae slovenica, suplement 1(avgust 2004). 100 Hungary. The survey of habits and motivation of the consumers of organic food show the possibility and development strategy of this field. The view of scientific literature helps the knowledge of the results of the domestic and international researches. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The definition of the organic production The purpose of the organic agricultural production is the sustainable agricultural production with free from chemicals and it is controlled. The other main purpose is to sustain the harmony with the environment and the Earth. The net of the controlling organisations was built some years ago. The definition of the E.U. is following: Organic farming favours renewable resources and recycling, returning to the soil the nutrients found in waste products. Where livestock is concerned, meat and poultry production is regulated with particular concern for animal welfare and by using natural foodstuffs. Organic farming respects the environment's own systems for controlling pests and disease in raising crops and livestock and avoids the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilisers, growth hormones, antibiotics or gene manipulation. Instead, organic farmers use a range of techniques that help sustain ecosystems and reduce pollution. (The homepage of the E.U.) We can see the main purposes are same in Hungary and in the E.U. Table 1. The number of enterprises controlled 1998–2003 (own construction) Source: The announcements of Biokontroll Hungária kht. with the permit of it The number of the enterprises controlled 1998–2003 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Categories The activity of the enterprises The number of enterprises Agricultural producers 330 327 471 764 1116 1239 Little garden (under 1 ha) 120 100 122 121 Bee keepers (honey producers) 49 76 165 207 193 177A Category The collectors of growing wild plants (herbs and spice plants) 3 4 5 8 10 11 Preparers, wrapers 17 22 36 67 100 215B Category Commercial Units 2 36 54 72 92 53 C Category Importers 0 1 1 1 5 4 Altogether: 401 586 832 1 241 1516 1699 The regulation of the organic production The political authorities have regulated the conditions of the organic production and commercial in Hungary and in the E.U.. The main purposes: – The limitation of using of the plant protecting materials, artificial chemicals and fertilizers. – The supporting of the extension using of plough.lands. – The save of local threatened animal sorts. – The environmental protection. – The supporting of training and further education in this field. Gyarmati, G. The export and domestic sales of the Hungarian organic food. 101 The present of the domestic organic production The basis of the announcements of Biokontroll Hungária kht. we can see the following trend in the states of the number of domestic organic producers. Table 2. The changing of the territory of the organic producers (own construction) Source: The announcements of Biokontroll Hungária kht. with the permit of it. The changing of the territory of the organic producers 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Area controlled, ha 11 390 15 772 21 565 32 609 47 221 79 178 103 672 113 816 The number of the enterprises 127 161 330 327 471 764 995 *1 255 Changed territory, ha 9 869 15 639 24 935 49 490 54 497 70 317 Territory under changing, ha 11 692 16 970 22 287 29 687 49 175 43 499 We can see the growing of the number of the enterprises controlled year by year. These producers produce the domestic organic products and export them. The changing of the areas controlled The difference between the changed territory and the territory under changing is the time of the changing over to organic methods. This time is defined by the controll organizations and ministries. Generally if the method of production was changed on a territory, it becomes an organic territory after 3 years. We can see a dynamic growing the large of the organic territories between 1999 and 2002. The growing has slown down in 2003 but has not stopped. The domestic market The large number of the domestic producers produce for export and the rest of their production can be sold in Hungary. Table 3. Certified vegetal production (own construction) Source: The announcements of Biokontroll Hungária kht. with the permit of it. Certified vegetal production kg Altogether Organics Under changing 1999 27 742 659.0 22 810 500.0 4 706 059.0 2000 31 235 858.0 25 133 810.0 6 102 048.0 2001 71 714 789.5 58 888 785.5 12 826 004.0 2002 69 074 503.9 60 354 499.9 8 720 004.0 2003 49 785 247.0 48 096 869.0 1 688 378.0 kg Export Organics Under Changing 1999 18 906 093.0 3 672 814.0 15 233 279.0 2000 24 496 814.0 20 139 056.0 4 357 758.0 2001 46 495 473.5 38 135 478.5 8 359 995.0 2002 62 159 380.3 54 416 005.8 7 743 374.5 2003 40 476 609.8 39 240 006.3 1 236 603.5 Acta agriculturae slovenica, suplement 1(avgust 2004). 102 Table 4. Certified animals and farms (own construction) Source: The announcements of Biokontroll Hungária kht. with the permit of it. Species Animal number 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Poultry 107 129 196 162 85 Buffalo 2 6 124 70 289 Sheep 1 054 910 1 292 1 609 2 273 Goat 27 65 86 147 261 Horse 20 221 281 677 341 Pig 35 255 225 327 445 Cattle 2 291 3 483 6 181 8 862 7 503 Ass 2 14 2 13 Altogether 3 537 5 084 8 387 11 855 11 210 Animal number/Farm 58.0 84.7 116.5 142.8 81.8 Farm number 61 60 72 83 137 We can see growing in export until 2002 and all production until 2001. The all production has decresed in 2003. Table 5. The export of the main export products in kg (own construction) Source: The announcements of Biokontroll Hungária kht. with the permit of it. Autumn wheat 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 England 675 740 951 120 3 710 411 Austria 945 880 964 460 1 028 850 12 184 270 Danmark 1 090 230 France 642 920 1 101 350 1 833 068 The Netherlands 50 000 1 867 140 1 922 420 815 603 Germany 1 633 500 1 111 710 12 479 614 5 449 692 4 313 863 Switzerland 3 091 410 5 989 580 6 831 080 3 451 110 5 723 640 Altogether 7 486 760 10 575 810 23 363 314 24 684 863 13 747 914 Sunflower 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 England 90 000 64 050 Austria 200 252 129 900 137 150 558 060 175 032 France 398 470 239 800 93 809 The Netherlands 390 660 201 460 300 100 Germany 447 500 135 000 423 600 524 530 1 764 720 Switzerland 980 770 1 429 440 2 103 800 1 167 900 2 301 530 Altogether 2 109 182 2 358 320 3 204 450 2 344 299 4 241 282 Maize 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 England 551 560 Austria 900 000 820 000 120 000 4 174 190 2 336 150 France 221 341 592 050 77 930 The Netherlands 999 890 691 960 Germany 694 210 719 860 80 000 1 738 860 900 500 Switzerland 1 499 700 1 630 000 3 409 522 685 010 2 926 420 Altogether 3 093 910 3 391 201 5 201 462 7 919 510 6 163 070 Gyarmati, G. The export and domestic sales of the Hungarian organic food. 103 The number of animals raised with organic methods had increased since 1999. The increase stopped short between 2002. The majority of the organic animal products were sold in Hungary. We can see the trend in the following chart. The main problems of domestic commercial: – The more difficult availability compared to the traditional products – Higher price – The lack of information – Thinner products choice. (Frühwald, Mokry, 1999.) Export The main export target countries are Switzerland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and France. The main export products are maize, wheat, sunflower and pumpkin seed. We can see the main export products year by year in the following chart. The main organic animal products were organic eggs to the Netherlands, honey to Germany. CONCLUSION The domestic organic production has developed for the last few years. The production reached the 50.000–70.000 tons per year. As the customs are repealed the domestic organic production has great opportunities after the E.U. joining. As the organic commercial net was not built and the prices of these products are 300–500% of a traditional product, it is necessary for the consumers to reach these products wider circle and lower price. REFERENCES Ángyán, J./ Menyhért, Z. Az alkalmazkodó növénytermesztés, ésszerű környezetgazdálkodás. Budapest, Mezőgazdasági Szaktudás Kiadó, 1997, 1–55 p. Biokontroll Hungária KHT. Éves Jelentései 1998–2003. Budapest, Biokontroll Hungária kht., 1–32 p. Buday-Sántha, A. Agrárpolitika, vidékpolitika. Pécs, Osiris Kiadó, 2001, 1–276. Buday-Sántha, A. Környezetvédelem-Vidékfejlesztés-Agrártermelés, Habilitációs előadások. Pécs, University of Pécs, Faculty of Economics 2002, 1–76. Frühwald, F./ Mokry, T. Biotermékek belföldi piaca. Őstermelő Journal. 1999. november 13. Gyarmati, G. A biogazdálkodás helyzete Magyarországon és jövőbeni lehetőségei az EU csatlakozás küszöbén. 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