Apáti, Ferenc

Kurmai, Viktória

International Journal of Horticultural Science

English

University of Debrecen Electronic Archive

International Journal of Horticultural Science 2014, 20 (3–4): 49–52.
Agroinform Publishing House, Budapest, Printed in Hungary
ISSN 1585-0404
Introduction
Hungary is engaged in widely acknowledged agricultural 
production for thousands of years thanks to its natural 
conditions, from which major part is processed by food 
industry (Hajdú-Lakner, 1999). In the last 30 years food 
industry had to face a change of regime, EU-accession and 
a global economic crisis, which put the industry in difficult 
situation (Gyarakay, 2013). Despite food industry managed 
to maintain its importance, as it has the third greatest output 
regarding processing industries and it employs the most 
people. The food industry’s share in national gross output 
and added value but it is decreasing, in spite of the fact its 
value is increasing. The share of output in 2012 was equal to 
the share in 2005, which assumes an increase.
Main objective of the paper is to evaluate the economic 
performance of fruit and vegetable processing industry and 
its significance within food industry, including the definition 
of the economic weight (production, commerce) of processed 
products made of nuts and berries. 
Materials and methods
Databases needed were provided by KSH (Központi 
Statisztikai Hivavatal – Hungarian Central Statistical Office) 
and Fruitveb Association of Vegetable‐Fruit Producers 
(Fruitveb Magyar Zöldség-Gyümölcs Szakmaközi Szervezet). 
In case of KSH data mainly publicly available information 
database were used but required data were also included in 
a smaller amount, where nomenclature of TEÁOR’08 and 
MNK was processed. Sectoral-statistical data of Fruitveb is 
revealed in the year assessment bulletins published annually, 
out of which data regarding processed industry were collected 
and ordered yearly. The period of analysis is between 2000 
and 2013, data were summarized and processed in Microsoft 
Excel. In order to present the condition of fruit and vegetable 
processing industry descriptive statistical methods were 
applied. To have a clear view of the analysed product group it 
is important to distinguish the operation of three sub sectors 
of fruit and vegetable processing and preserving sector:
 • Companies of potato processing and preserving sub 
sector produce the processed and preserved potato 
products and carry out the industrial peeling.
 • Fruit and vegetable juice sub sector deals with 
producing juices and concentrates gained from fresh 
fruits and vegetables.
 • The widest product range is offered by the other fruit 
and vegetable processing and preserving sub sector. 
Products like frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, 
dried products, products preserved with vinegar or 
oil, jellies, marmalades, jams and products made of 
walnut belong here.
In this study the significance of nuts and berries are 
evaluated in the processing industry, these products are 
mainly processed by other fruit and vegetable processing and 
preserving industry and in a smaller amount by juice industry.
Results
The significance of fruit and vegetable processing industry 
within food industry
Hungarian food industry can be divided to 9 sectors and 
25 sub sectors based on the KSH defined nomenclature. Fruit 
Significance of vegetable and fruit processing industry  
with a special regard on berries and nuts
Kurmai, V. & Apáti, F.
University of Debrecen, Faculty of Economics and Business, Institute of Management Sciences;  
H-4032 Debrecen, Böszörményi Street 138.
Summary: The main goal of our paper is to evaluate the economic performance of processing industry and its significance within food industry, 
furthermore to define economic weight of processed goods made of nuts and berries. Fruit and vegetable processing industry plays a key role in 
Hungarian food industry: it provides 10% of its production value and revenue, its export is outstanding and its export-import balance was positive 
in the last 15 years. Purchase of berries has been continuously reduced in the processing industry, mostly raspberry and blackberry decreased. 
Nut products is and important group; their revenue was 12% of the industry’s revenue in 2012. Processed goods made of nuts and berries are high 
added value products, while the purchased quantity is small, the value of finished products is high, especially in case of nuts.
Keywords: fruit, vegetable, fruit processing, berries, nuts
Kurmai, V. & Apáti, F.50
and vegetable processing sector contributed to production 
value and revenue of food industry with 9-10% in the last 15 
years, so the significance of the analysed sector within food 
industry remained constant. It is in the 6th place out of the 9 
sectors based on both performance indicators. 
Fruit and vegetable processing industry 
is strongly export-oriented, it has the 3rd 
greatest revenue among sectors regarding 
export revenues, it represents 15-17% of the 
food industry’s export revenue between 2000 
and 2013. Domestic revenue of the sector is 
6-7% of the total domestic revenue of food 
industry, which means the last place regarding 
all sectors. The ratio of export and domestic 
trade is just the opposite like in 2004, when 
65% of the revenue came from domestic 
trade but this value was characteristic to the 
revenue of export trade in 2013.
Import products of fruit and vegetable 
processing industry increased by 50% in the 
analysed period and their value increased 
with more than 100%. Export products increased only by 
16%, while their value doubled. Export and import product 
structure has been rearranged in food industry. As a result, 
export share of products made of vegetables, fruits, walnuts 
and other parts of plants within food industry halved, while 
import share diminished minimally.
Employees in domestic fruit and vegetable processing 
industry decreased by 41% to year 2013 compared to the data 
of 2000. This ratio exceeds a 33% employment decline of the 
total food industry employment. This tendency stagnates in 
the last couple of years. The ratio of the employment within 
food industry mitigated form 11,4% to 8,7%. The number of 
companies in fruit and vegetable processing industry increases, 
while the number of food industry companies decreases, 
therefore the ratio of analysed sector is clearly growing.
Significance of nuts and berries in vegetable and fruit 
processing industry
Raw vegetable and fruit purchase showed a declining 
tendency between 2003 and 2012, its value decrease from 1.6 
million tons to 1.4 million tons. The quantity of the purchased 
raw material is increasing or decreasing proportionally to the 
quantity, although inflation and price rise is also influential: 
processing industry purchased 1.6 million tons raw material 
for 48 billion HUF in 2003, in 2012 1.3 million tons worth 
71 billion HUF. (Figure 1) Mainly four products provided 
the basis of the sector’s production: 70-80% of the purchased 
raw material is cherry, peas, sweet corn and apple. There 
is hard evidence in Figure 1 that the processed finished 
product worth 3-3.5 times more than the purchased raw 
material, while its quantity is 30% less, which is the result 
of the processing loss. The production of vegetable and fruit 
processing industry has not changed significantly in the last 
12 years. The least product (0.8 million tons) was produced in 
2005 and the most (1.1 million tons) in 2002. The sector was 
capable of selling 91% of the produced amount, but it also 
occurred that this ratio was only 81% and once it succeeded 
in selling 15% more than current year’s product. 
Table 1 shows the purchased quantity and value of 
berries. While 15% of the purchased fruits by the processing 
industry were berries in 2003, nowadays this ratio is only 
4%. Purchase of raspberry declined the most dramatically, 
however processing of blackberry is also about to disappear. 
The purchase of nuts represents minimal quantity and its 
value is also insignificant among processed raw materials. 
Considering the value and quantity, purchase is rather 
narrowed to the abovementioned 4 types (cherry, peas, sweet 
corn, and apple): today these represents 82% of the quantity 
and 72% of the value of the total purchased vegetables and 
fruits. This supports the view of Erdészné (2008). Out of the 
four leading species apple and sweet corn are outstanding, 
which represented half of the value and 73% of the quantity 
regarding purchased raw materials.
Vegetable and fruit industry has 3 subsectors, out of 
which the greatest value generating subsector carries out 
the processing of nuts and berries. Based on TEÁOR 
nomenclature processing of nuts and berries belongs to the 
product group of “processed and preserved fruit and nuts”.
“Processed and preserved fruit and nuts” producers 
manufactured 157 thousand tons of finished products in 
2012, which meant 58 billion HUF revenue. (Figure 2) 
Products are more likely to be sold on export markets, 60% 
of the products got abroad in 2012. The value of “processed 
and preserved fruit and nuts” products have a significant 
share, i.e. relatively small quantity represents a high value. 
Semi-finished canned fruits and nuts had the highest ratio in 
the product group in 2000, 81 thousand ton finished products 
were produced, resulting in 1.6 billion HUF revenue. In 2012 
4 thousand tons generated only half billion HUF revenue.
Regarding the structure of product group ‘processed and 
preserved fruit and nuts’ the following main conclusions can 
be stated: (Figure 2):
 • The production of processed and preserved walnuts 
and peanuts has doubled; their revenue has increased 
fivefold since 2000. 50 thousand tons of products were 
made, which resulted 26 billion HUF revenue. Major 
Source: Fruitveb (2013) és KSH (2013)
Figure 1: Purchase and selling data of vegetable and fruit processing industry (2003-2012)
Significance of vegetable and fruit processing industry with a special regard on berries and nuts 51
part of the products was sold in domestic markets. 
Walnuts and peanuts provide 31% of the production 
and 45% of the revenue in the product group
 • In 2012 frozen fruits and nuts represented 13% of 
the product group. The quantity of the manufactured 
product declined from 30 thousand tons to 20 thousand 
tons with 7 billion HUF revenue. 75% of the products 
are sold in export markets.
 • ”Jams, fruit jellies and fruit or nut puree and pastes” 
products were sold only in Hungary, for today ¾ of it 
go on export sale. Its production tripled since 2000, 
34 thousand tons of finished products are produced to 
2012. Its revenue is also significant: it is currently 9.6 
billion HUF, which was only 2.7 billion HUF in 2000. 
Production structure and external trade of vegetable and 
fruit processing industry
If we analyse the product structure of “fruit and 
vegetable processing and preserving sector”, we can come 
to the conclusion that the product 
group was unusually narrowed down. 
Within the sector the greatest portion 
is represented by “frozen vegetables 
and fruits and nuts” category: it is 
24% of the produced amount and 18% 
of the revenue in 2012. Meanwhile, 
the produced amount has increased 
by 15% and its revenue by 70% since 
2000. In this category the greatest 
amount produced and the highest 
revenue provider product group is the 
“frozen vegetables and fruits”.
The sectors’ most important 
products are the “processed and 
preserved sweetcorn and peas”, since 
a huge amount of these vegetables 
are processed (ERDÉSZ et.al., 2009). 
Although their price value is not 
prominently high, but due to their 
enormous quantity these are the 
leading products of the sector: the 
two products provides 31% of the 
subsectors’ quantity and 25% of its 
revenue. On the contrary “processed 
and preserved walnuts and peanuts” 
represents smaller amount, still it 
contributes with higher revenue to 
the result of the subsector, which is 
continuously increasing. Changes 
occurred in case of “jams, fruit 
jellies and fruit or nut puree and 
pastes” products and also in case of 
apple production. The quantity of the 
products has significantly increased 
since 2000, so did their sales revenue. 
The opposite could be observed in 
case of pickles, whose produced amount shows a declining 
tendency.
The ratio of exported and domestic selling reflects a 
significant change regarding the sector’s sales. This ratio was 
50%-50% in 2000, nowadays the sector exports 66% and 
sells 34% in domestic markets (considering both revenue and 
quantity).
Export-import balance of vegetable and fruit processing 
industry shows increasing tendency regarding product 
value (Juhász-Wagner, 2012). Balance of product quantity 
has barely grown since 2003, which means that the growth 
of exported quantity is followed by the same proportional 
growth of the imported good’s quantity (Table 2).
Quantity of the exported products increased by 15% 
but their values by 70%. However the quantity of imported 
goods has been growing by 50% since 2003 and their values 
have reached 2.3 times the original value. Consequently, the 
processed vegetable and fruit trade shows growth regarding 
product amount, but product value increased to a higher 
extent considering the exchange rate and price growth.
Source: KSH (2013)
Figure 2: Production structure and quantity of ‘processed and preserved fruit and nuts’ product group 
(2000-2012)
Table 1: Berries and nuts purchase of vegetable and fruit processing industry between 2003 and 2012
Products 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Volume (thousand tons)
Red currant 1,3 1,6 1,8 1,5 1,4 2,1 2,2 2,0 2,0 2,1
Black currant 0,5 0,7 0,8 0,8 1,0 1,7 1,7 1,5 1,0 2,0
Strawberry 1,1 1,1 1,3 0,8 0,5 1,1 1,2 0,8 0,8 1,2
Blackberry 2,9 3,9 3,9 3,9 3,5 4,3 4,0 1,6 0,6 0,7
Raspberry 6,6 6,6 6,7 6,6 4,8 6,3 5,8 3,1 0,3 0,4
Gooseberry 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,5 0,2 0,3 0,3 0,2 0,1 0,1
Value (million huf)
Strawberry 205 152 176 136 106 241 307 239 258 467
Black currant 51 21 30 40 71 269 201 199 203 243
Red currant 205 152 176 136 106 241 307 239 258 467
Raspberry 1680 1326 1236 1315 1096 1430 1794 1108 290 190
Blackberry 397 410 402 421 553 501 432 298 121 165
Gooseberry 133 126 141 35 26 33 36 28 15 18
Source: Fruitveb (2013)
Kurmai, V. & Apáti, F.52
Table 2: Export-import balance of products made of vegetables, fruits, 
walnuts and other parts of plants (2003-2012)
Name 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013
Net weight 
(thousand 
tons)
Import 110,4 149,9 162,5 146,4 168,1 165,8
Export 435,1 428,6 431,0 421,5 423,4 503,9
Balance 324,7 278,7 268,5 275,1 255,2 338,1
Free-at-
frontier value 
(billion HUF)
Import 22,1 28,3 38,2 38,8 47,6 52,4
Export 81,7 86,6 98,5 107,5 121,5 154,4
Balance 59,6 58,3 60,3 68,6 73,8 102,0
Source: KSH (2012)
According to the nomenclature of KSH MKN 9 product 
groups are distinguished regarding finished goods made 
of vegetables, fruits, walnuts and other parts of plants, i.e. 
regarding products of vegetable and fruit processing industry. 
Nuts and berried are processed in the following three product 
groups:
1. Vegetable, fruit, walnut and plant part preserved by 
sugar
2. Jam, jelly, flavour and puree made of fruits and 
walnuts
3. Roasted fruits, nuts and edible parts of plants 
cooked and preserved in sugar syrup, sterilized, and 
containing added alcohol
“Vegetable, fruit, walnut and plant part preserved by 
sugar” product group does not contribute significantly to 
the result of neither export nor import, this is why it is not 
detailed here.
The significance of product made of “jam, jelly, flavour 
and puree made of fruits and walnuts” is continuously 
growing, especially in the field of import. The quantity of 
both imported and exported goods are increasing – after 
the low point of 2008, when it has a negative export-import 
balance – a rapidly increasing tendency characterised the 
export products. In 2013 it represents 3% of the exported 
and 2% of the imported goods. In terms of value it obtains a 
higher portion in both export and import.
The export and import significance of “roasted fruits, 
nuts and edible parts of plants cooked and preserved in sugar 
syrup, sterilized, and containing added alcohol” products is 
outstanding: 22% of export revenue and 17% of the import 
revenue is generated by this product group. In the last 10 years 
this product group was characterized by declining import and 
growing export, this made the current high balance of export-
import possible. This product group produce a much higher 
value, as the same amount is equal to twice as much the value 
of the same amount of peas’
The most significant export product is “walnuts and other 
nuts and preserved and cherries in sugar syrup”. In the last 
10 years nuts and other oilseeds contributed to the export 
revenue by 3%. It is evident, that the quantity increases both 
in case of export and import and its proportion has been 
maintained for ten years. Its balance is growing regarding 
products and its values.
Conclusions
Out of the 9 subsectors of food industry fruits and vegetable 
processing and preserving sectors deal with the processing 
of horticultural products. Since the millennium the analysed 
sector provides 10% of the food industry’s production value 
and sales revenue. Its export is outstanding; it had a positive 
export-import balance in the last 15 years. The berry purchase 
by the processing industry is continuously decreasing, 
particularly raspberry and blackberry are in disadvantageous 
position. Products made of nuts are important product group 
of vegetable and fruit processing products, its revenue was 
12% of the industry’s revenue in 2012. Processed goods 
made of nuts and berries are high value added products, 
while quantity of the purchase raw material is low, value of 
the finished product is very high, especially in case of nuts.
Acknowledgement
This research was supported by the European Union and 
the State of Hungary, co-financed by the European Social 
Fund in the framework of TÁMOP-4.2.4.A/ 2-11/1-2012-
0001 ‘National Excellence Program’. The identification of 
the application is: A2-MZPD-13-0358
References
Erdész F.-né (2008): A hazai zöldség-gyümölcságazat fejlôdési 
kilátásai. Gazdálkodás. 52 (5): 144-151.
Erdészné F., Jankuné K. Gy., Kozak A. & Radócziné K. T. 
(2009): A zöldség- és gyümölcságazat helyzete. Budapest.  Agrár-
gazdasági Kutató Intézet. 39-48 p.
Fórián Z. (2005): A tartósítóipar helyzete és kilátásai Magyar-
orszá gon. Agrár Európa Kft. Budapest
Fórián Z. (2009): AZ EU-csatlakozás vesztese: a magyarországi 
élelmiszeripar. Agrár Európa Kft. Budapest
Fruitveb (2013): Magyar zöldség-gyümölcs ágazati stratégia. 
Budapest
Gyarakay Z. (2013): A magyar élelmiszeripar helyzete és meg-
újulásának lehetôségei. Minôség és megbízhatóság. 46 (4): 148-155. 
Hajdú I.-né & Lakner Z. (1999): Az élelmiszeripar gazdaságtana. 
Mezôgazdasági Szaktudás Kiadó. Budapest
Juhász A. & W. Harmut (2012): Magyarország élelmiszer-gaz-
dasági export versenyképességének elemzése. Gazdálkodás. 56. 
(6): 530-541.
Fruitveb A feldolgozóipar nyersanyagfelvásárlási adatai (2001-2013)
KSH A kibocsátás és a bruttó hozzáadott érték (2013)
KSH Az ipar termelési és értékesítési adatai szakágazatok szerint 
4 fô feletti vállalkozások esetén (2014)
KSH Éves gazdaságszerkezeti adatok létszám kategóriánként (2013)
KSH Foglalkoztatottak száma nemzetgazdasági ágak, ágazatok 
szerint (2013)
KSH Ipari termékek és szolgáltatások éves termelése (2013)
KSH Mûködô, valódi új, valódi megszûnt vállalkozások száma 
nemzet gazdasági ág szerint (2013)
KSH Nemzetgazdaság munkaügyi adati (2014)
KSH Termékszintû adatok MKN szerint (2014)


Significance of vegetable and fruit processing industry with a special regard on berries and nuts

https://dea.lib.unideb.hu/dea/bitstream/2437/248771/1/1134_Article_Text_1995_1_10_20181024.pdf

Significance of vegetable and fruit processing industry with a special regard on berries and nuts

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

University of Debrecen Electronic Archive