Exports to Turkey raise Hungarian meat prices

BUDAPEST - Anatolia News Agency

Hungarians pay more for meat as exports soar.

Turkey’s livestock imports have led meat prices in Hungary to rise four-fold, the head of the Turkish-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Trade told Anatolia news agency yesterday.

One kilogram of cattle meat in Hungary was 250 forints (0.90 euro) two years ago, but the price rose to 1,100 forints (4 euros) after Turkey imported tens of thousands of cattle from the Eastern European country, the chamber’s head, Mehmet Cabir Özel, said.

Sheep prices also rose about two-fold, he said. An average-size sheep price rose to 30,000 forints (105 euro) from 17,000 forints (60 euros). 

There are almost no cattle left for sale, Özel said. 

The secretary-general of the chamber, Fadıl Başar, said cattle production in Hungary, which has a population of 10 million, is nearly 600,000. 

Following Turkey the largest buyers of Hungarian livestock are Italy, Germany and Austria, Başar said, adding that now it is very expensive for Hungarian people to eat beef.

Livestock exports from Hungary to Turkey have almost come to a halt as the prices hit the ceiling, said Habi Berk, a businessman who has sold tens of thousands of cattle Turkey in the last two years, noting that it will take some time before the livestock market in Hungary recovers.