The Pig Sector programme will received 1.6 billion forints again this year, just as it did last year, György Czerván announced on Thursday at the opening press conference of the 7th Budapest Mangalica Festival.

The Ministry of Rural Development's Minister of State for Agricultural Economy indicated that the programme's goal was to double current pig stocks of around 3 million over the next six years. In addition to the whitening of the sector this, an increase in animal stocks, was also one of the objectives of the reduction of VAT on live pigs and half carcases from 27 percent to only 5 percent from 1 January, he added.

Of the strategy's elements, Mr. Czerván highlighted action to help pork products reach the market, the development of domestic genetic bases, the various quality assurance systems and the development of marketing programmes. He also indicated that the strategy includes promoting the breeding of Mangalica pigs.

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Last year, the Ministry concluded a strategic agreement with the National Association of Mangalica Breeders to promote the widest possible popularity of Mangalica meat products and for the development of origin-.tracking and quality assurance programmes. The Ministry of Rural Development provided HUF 110 million for this purpose last year, and the Association will be receiving a similar level of funding this year.

The Minister of State said that Mangalica farmers can also count on receiving funding from other sources, such as rural development funding for protecting the genetic stocks of protected, native and endangered animal breeds. The Ministry has paid out HUF 400 million to this end over the past three years for the protection of the Mangalica breed and an additional 130 million for targeted breeding programmes. Funding was also available for the modernisation of animal husbandry units, and farmers successfully applied for and received the full budget of HUF 35 million during the last round of tenders. Mangalica breeders were also eligible to apply for this funding.

Chairman of the National Association of Mangalica Breeders Péter Tóth told Hungarian news agency MTI that the Association has 170 members who own a total of 8000 sows and breed some 50-60 thousand Mangalica pigs each year. This represents some 2 percent of total Hungarian pig stocks.

Mr. Tóth indicated that breeders sell many animals directly; the Mangalica is the determinative pig breed for domestic slaughtering and home production. Some 20 thousand animals reach slaughterhouses, and 75-80 percent of the foods produced from them are marketed abroad. Mr. Tóth estimated the total annual revenues of the Mangalica sector to be some 6 billion forints. The 7th Budapest Mangalica Festival will be held from March 7-9 at Freedom Square, just a few blocks away form the Ministry of Rural Development. Entrance is free.

(MTI)