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• Wine market trends in the EU and Hungary

  101-105

  Zoltán Szakál

  Views:

  118

  Traditions of the Hungarian grape and wine sector go back centuries. However, although this sector is proud of its rich traditions, it has gone through several shocks. Having joined the EU, Hungary has become a part of the integrated internal market. The commercial obstacles and difficulties among EU-members and Hungary have officially been removed. At the same time, within the Common Agricultural Policy, the wine market has been organised at community level by EU-members. There is no possibility for the sector to access any kind of direct supports from the Hungarian budget, unless such activity is definitely allowed by community directions or unless Hungary were authorized in the framework of a supplementary procedure. After joining the EU, the customs-protection - which aim was to protect the EU-market against the third countries - reduced, so wine producers from overseas countries emerged with their competitive wine prices in the home market and also became competitors of Hungarian wine producers who have been working under low technically equipped conditions. In order to increase the competitiveness of Hungarian wines, it is essential to improve the machinery of producers and to improve the equipment of winecellars. Finally, it is also vital that Hungarian wine producers develop a well-constructed marketing policy.

• The Present and Future of Tokay Aszú

  87-92

  Zoltán Szakál

  Views:

  99

  Tokay wine is Hungary’s noblest wine. Beyond doubt, it is one of those uniquely Hungarian products, which has been without rival for centuries. Today the role of quality has become increasingly important and consumers who are ready to pay more for quality wines expect it. This wine will be able to get back its original popularity if the message of its excellence reaches the public. Knowledge of historical wine-producing regions constitutes a part of basic education and wine-marketing could take important measures to spread it since good products need to be sold properly and consumers require information about wines – with gastronomy – and wine producing regions.
  With foreign invested capital, advantageous changes have been started in Tokay-Hegyalja. However, there is much still to do in order to produce, sell and consume Tokay wine on such conditions that are really worthy of a Hungaricum. It is essential to approach the famous oenologists of Europe and the world and to establish suitable production conditions for every winegrower. In addition to following consciously prepared wine-marketing directions, our country needs to make an expected name for this Hungaricum. These aims are important mainly because of approaching EU-accession. There is timely to study on what conditions Hungarian viticulture and oenology could access. It would be a great success of the Hungarian delegation if they could make current Hungarian laws of Tokay-wine-production accepted in the EU. Of course, all of these would be valid after EU-accession. During the pre-accession period, our country needs to fulfil several stipulations. For example, origin-protection, establishment of a registry system, law harmonisation, development of an institutional system.
  Strengthening of home consumption has always been an inspirational tool in a product’s life cycle. It is important not only to take the requirements of foreigners into consideration and to produce for export, but we also need to satisfy the home market. Considerable stress should be laid on establishing and preserving viticulture. Increasingly, buyers expect high standards and they are ready to pay more for quality wines. They also demand appropriate professional information and consultation. So there is a lot to do and theoretical approach should be followed by action. In order to get to know what quality expectations exist, we have to examine the consumers of the Hungarian wine-market. Study of the Hungarian people’s consumption behaviour, referring to Tokay „aszú”, was closely connected with my work.
  Participants of my study were consumers who buy Tokay „aszú” mainly in shopping centres, supermarkets and low-price shops specified for wine selling. Wine shops have important roles as they give opportunity for salespersons to make closer relationships with buyers. These shops could be communication channels of spreading wine culture. It would be favourable if in every town or city there were at least one wine shop giving the opportunity of consultation besides commercial activity and also providing services that support the improvement of wine culture’s position. The majority of questioned people spend less than 4.000 Forints on buying of Tokay „aszú” in a year. Results of the questionnaire survey support the fact that there is a demand for these wine-specialities, but lack of money strongly effects demand.
  The Following summarises the history of Tokay wine, tasks of Hungary and the expected effects relating to EU-accession. Regulation of oenology and the wine-market, referring to quality wines and main results of the survey are also overviewed in the text.

• Result of Wine Consumption Survey

  387-393

  Zoltán Szakál

  Views:

  123

  Wine has always played an important role in the Hungarian culture and gastronomy. Today, average wine consumption is about 33 liter per person per year, which figure, comparing with datas in Western Europe, is acceptable. However, cultured wine consumption has begun to develop only in last few years. Consumers, whose knowledges about wines have been widening, demand quality wines. The number of high standard scientific contributions on this subject has risen greatly. But comparisons of them are rather difficult because of adopting different surveying methods. This research has supported and confirmed that wine is a confidental product and previous experience could be an important determining factor during wine-purchasing. Wine is popular as a present, so the nice, elegant look, proper bottles and labels are essential for the higher rate of selling. Further, price-value rate could also be a main factor during the customers’ decision. This survey is a result of a test-research and its methodolical experience will have been used in my following researches.

• Influence of collective wine marketing on hungarian wine sector

  37-41

  Zoltán Szakál

  Views:

  101

  Nowadays, the importance of marketing is increasingly obvious. The number of those who apply those possibilities and methods provided by the marketing with which more efficient operation and higher amount of profit can be obtained is increasing. Special marketing fields have appeared that make the marketing characteristics of the single trades, product groups and industrial branches are widely known and utilized. During the more than 10 years following the changes of regime, the Hungarian wine market underwent a huge change. It is obvious, that this process has not stopped, and further market rearrangements may be claimed. The product and price policies have changed. Out of the marketing mix elements, mostly the marketing communication has changed, and the costumer has come to the centre. This marketing approach resulted in the formation of the newly established Hungarian Wine Marketing Public Benefit Company. The common marketing activity of the organization should have positive impacts on the industrial branch, although its efficient operation still has hindrances

• Energy forests or vineyards?

  237-240

  Gábor Koncz

  Mária Kozsdáné Bata

  Hajnalka Szabóné Pap

  Views:

  81

  This paper primarily aims at giving an introduction to an alternative opportunity for vineyards owners many of whom have come to a
  decision about elimination of their vineyards. The paper is focusing on the Mátra wine-region as a study area, which is the largest mountain
  wine region in Hungary where more than one third of supported clearing of vineyards have been implemented in the last few years. The
  abandoning of vineyards is explicable in more than one way such as very small average size of land or the increasing mean age of owners
  etc. The fundamental reason is the chronic doubtfulness of the grape and wine market and the low level of overall profitability of production.
  Grape production has a long tradition in this region, thus the disappearance of vineyards caused serious problems in land use through the
  absolute lack of plans for the future. The popularity of biomass production in the press and the biofuel resultant from vine stocks raise
  interest for short rotation forestry within a group of farmers. Short rotation forestry offers a new chance for some farmers to cut oneself adrift
  from the harmful effects of the market of agricultural products.