Hungarian White Wines Enjoy Popularity on Foreign Markets

In the first seven months of this year, Hungary imported almost a third more wine than a year earlier. Almost twenty times more Hungarian wine is sold abroad than the volume of imported wine.

Illustration (Photo: Pexels)

Data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) show that Hungary's foreign trade balance in wine without semi-sparkling and sparkling wines was positive in the first half of 2024, up 26 percent in volume and almost 20 percent in value compared to the first half of 2023. The volume of wine exported rose by around 27 percent to 648 400 hectoliters, while the increase in value was more modest at almost 21 percent. This brought wine sales revenue from foreign markets to 23.6 billion forints.

Bulk wines accounted for 73 percent of the exported volume, increasing almost by 25 percent to 473.5 thousand hectoliters in the first half of the year. The export of bottled wines rose by 32 percent to 174.9 thousand hectolitres, while the sales value increased by 7 percent to 11 billion forints. Hungarian white wines continued to be the most sought-after on the international market, accounting for 81 percent of exports during the period under review.

The volume of wine imported by Hungary rose to 32.5 hectoliter in the first six months of this year, up 31 percent year-on-year.

It is good news for winemakers that Hungarian consumers largely stick to domestic wines, but there is a growing group of consumers purchasing foreign wines. The wines imported were almost entirely bottled. The total value of imports of bottled and bulk wines rose by approximately 27 percent to 2.6 billion forints.