Hungary’s exports totalled over 50 billion euros in the first four months of 2023, an all-time record following a 12% increase from the record set last year.
Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, told the opening event of the foreign economy meeting in Budapest on Tuesday that the record was expected to be broken once again this year. Noting that Hungary is a small country with few energy resources, while exports have a fundamental influence on its economic performance, he said a priority of foreign policy was to continually increase Hungarian economic performance abroad and help Hungarian companies to enter as many markets as possible. “From this point of view, I think the institutional system of Hungary’s foreign policy and foreign economy has fared well,” he added. “It was a … good decision to pair trade with foreign policy,” he said, adding that foreign policy truly enabled the improvement of Hungary’s economic performance and Hungarians’ lives. Despite 2022 being a “black year”, Hungary’s economy set a triple record in the areas of employment, investment and exports, he said. Minister Szijjártó said exports last year totalled 142 billion euros, putting Hungary in 33rd place globally, even though the size of its population ranks it 95th, while its exports have doubled since 2010. Hungary’s foreign missions continue to offer every available support to companies that are able to enter the market in any given country with competitive products and services, he said. A total of 46 companies have joined the highlighted exporters programme KEPP since it was launched in 2019, he said, adding that six companies signed contracts earlier on Tuesday. He said these companies were involved in sectors where answers are being sought to some of the burning problems of humanity, including water management, agriculture and the electric car industry, where Hungarian technologies are in the global frontline.