“Hungary has increased its agricultural exports to China by 800 percent during the past five years”, the Minister of Agriculture said at a press conference in Budapest on Thursday at the 10th Agro-trade & Economic Cooperation Forum between China and Central-Eastern European Countries.

“Hungary has increased its agricultural exports to China by 800 percent during the past five years”, the Minister of Agriculture said at a press conference in Budapest on Thursday at the 10th Agro-trade & Economic Cooperation Forum between China and Central-Eastern European Countries.

“Agricultural exports to China tripled last year, reaching a record 22 million euros”, Mr. Fazekas added, citing as an example a marked increase in the export of Hungarian wines to 10 thousand hectolitres, meaning China is now the fourth largest market for Hungarian wines.

According to the Minister, the Forum confirmed that agriculture is an important area of cooperation between China and the Central-Eastern European countries; the region’s countries, including Hungary, offer an excellent selection of prime quality food products for which there is a demand in China. Accordingly, it is in our joint interest for as much food as possible to reach the Chinese market from the region, he said.

Mr. Fazekas pointed out that the agenda had included several important and current issues such as promotion opportunities, food safety procedures and increasing exports. The 77th National Agriculture and Food Industry Exhibition and Fair, which participants also visited to familiarise themselves with the wide variety of Hungarian food industry products available, provided an excellent backdrop to the meeting.

At the Forum, China was represented by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Qu Dongyu, who said at the press conference: “The meeting provided an excellent opportunity for China to exchange views with representatives from the region’s countries” and stressed that “China and Hungary have been linked by friendship for a long time; this is why cooperation between the two countries is so good”.

“Discussions between China and the representatives of the Central-Eastern European countries on the results of the Forum and the tasks ahead will continue in China in 2016”, Minister Fazekas added.

(Ministry of Agriculture)