A better year for Hungarian poultry sector

Hungarian poultry sector can recover after the shock of H5N1, the avian influenza discovered last year.

Hungarian Poultry Producers are beginning to win the battle against the disease, as the market looks to recover after the lost of market shares last year. The disease was discovered in a number of free range farms, mainly the southern parts of the country. The shock caused consumers in both domestic and international markets to turn away from poultry sourced within infected countries.

Despite the Hungarian authorities hewed thousands of birds including geese and ducks in the affected regions like Bács-Kiskun, more significant damage was caused by the out-and-outer media campaign.  

Consumers trust wavered over food safety resulted in a large fall in demand, caused as much as a 20 per cent decline in the price of many poultry products - according to the Council.

To protect its poultry, technology updates have put in place to prevent any further outbreaks. These technologies were also backed by EU in all member states affected by the H5N1 virus. Measures restrict movement of all birds in domestic areas, as well as increased surveillance of all wild and domestic birds.

Due to these measures producers can wait 2007 with favourable expectations.

Source: CEE-Foodindustry