Shepherd’ problems during transition period to the European Union

Accession of Hungary to European Union on 1st May, 2004, made a lot of effects on the whole agriculture including the sheep sector; however, the transitional period in fact started from the beginning of 1990’s, and will be finished at the beginning of 2014. In this paper the history of the sheep industry devided into five periods, and the main events and factors affecting the sheep production were summarised. The first period (up to 1990) could be characterised by the uniformity. The second one (1990-2000) was the period of reorganisation, diffusion, reduction, and re-start. The whole sheep sector was privatised, the ownership changed, the wool industry was demolished, and number of firms earning money from sheep industry increased. The third one (2000-30th April 2004) was the period of hope (for the same level of subsidy as in former EU member states), and the final preparation for EU membership. The forth one (1st May 2004 - 2011) was and still is the learning period (looking for the best ways to help the sector to be survive), and finally the fifth one (2011-2014) will be the awaiting period for new circumstances. In the present sheep sector the live slaughter lamb became the main and dominating product (giving 95-96% of the average income), but the ration of utilised lambs per ewes is lower than the necessary and possible level. The wool does not have real value (2-3% of income), and the milk production fall back to low level.