Hungary, an Important Wild Game Meat Exporter

Hungary is one of the largest exporters of game meat in Europe, according to a publication on the domestic market and consumption of game meat published by the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture (NAK).

Almost 90% of the 3,800 tons of the product processed in Hungary every year is exported abroad, mainly to Germany and Italy, the publication said, explaining why it is the only one of its kind in Europe.

In Hungary, 46 companies deal with wild game meat, a valuable and special foodstuff, yet consumption is only 0.1 kg per person, and was only double that ten years ago, NAK said. Domestically, tourism and catering (HORECA) is the biggest consumer, accounting for 60% of the quantity remaining in Hungary. The market has been hit by the new coronavirus, but consumption reached pre-plague levels before last year, they added.

A publication on the NAK website also shows that in the country, hunting concession holders sell almost 80% of the game they shoot to traders and game processors, and the composition of game meat is more favorable than that of farmed domestic animals.

"Hungary is one of the biggest exporters of wild game meat in Europe, fourth in the EU market in terms of volume, after Poland, Germany and Spain," the online publication says.