One third of Hungarian exports should de destined for outside Europe and the food industry and the wine sector will play a pivotal role in increasing exports –Hungarian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó said at a wine conference in Eger. Exports to the East should stand on 4 pillars: machinery, including mainly the automotive industry, engineering, the water industry and the related sectors, and the food industry and wine sector.

The State Secretary underlined that Hungary should not enter an unwinnable quantity race but should instead "search for special requirements to the east". Hungarian wine exports stand at 6-800 thousand hectolitres a year, but only 10% of this quantity goes outside the European Union.

While the general price of wine exported to within the EU is around €1/litre, this is €3-6/litre in the case of China and Hong Kong. Full-bodied red and characteristic white wines are in greatest demand in China. Péter Szijjártó added that the demand is not place or wine specific; there is a generally high demand for the outmost quality European wine. The Hungarian Government perceived the economic crisis as an opportunity and "if we can effect rapid changes, we can be stronger than ever", the State Secretary declared.

This Government's strategy encompasses a foreign trade dimension, which translates to the rebuilding of previously neglected eastern networks in addition to the existing western networks. The "Eastern Opening" Policy builds on strategic cooperation with Russia, China and the Far-East, economic cooperation with the Arabic world, tightening economic relations with the countries of the Caucasus and strengthening positions in the Western Balkans. The State Secretary said that there have been positive changes in all areas; Hungarian exports grew in all four dimensions.

MP Zsolt Nyitray emphasised the importance of the region surrounding Eger in wine production. There are constant efforts to increase awareness of this fact outside Hungary: diplomats accredited to Hungary had an opportunity to take part in the local harvest and to get to know the wines of Eger, the Polish and Hungarian presidents will visit the region this weekend and a book introducing the wine region will soon be published in English, Polish and Chinese.

(Prime Minister’s Office)