Cornerstone-laying ceremony of a new waterfowl plant was held in Mélykút

Agriculture and the food industry are “the heart and soul” of Hungarian economy, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said at the cornerstone-laying ceremony of a new waterfowl plant in Mélykút, southern Hungary.

The output of the food industry grew by an annual 6 percent to 1,673 billion forints (EUR 5.4bn) in the first seven months of this year compared to the same period of last year, Szijjarto noted. The sector employs 148,400 workers, a 5 percent growth since last year, he said.

Hunent invested 12.6 billion forints in the construction of the plant, with 4.4 billion forint government support.

Photo: MTI

The plant will create 350 jobs and is hoped to turn the company into a market leader in the field, the minister said. Hunent Víziszárnyas Feldolgozó CEO Kurt Weiss said the built-up area on the 8.8 hectare plot will cover 18,300 sqm. During the first phase of project, Hunent will build a waterfowl slaughterhouse, a processing plant, a cold storage and freezer house and a wastewater treatment plant on the plot by October 2018, he said. The second phase of the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.

The plant will slaughter 50,000 ducks or 25,000 geese in a 10-hour shift, Weiss said.

Photo: MTI

Source: MTI