For the domestic fruit and vegetable processing industry, the energy subsidy comes late

Fruit and vegetable processors will receive help to protect themselves from the effects of increased energy prices (Photo: Pixabay)

At the government meeting on September 17, the government decided on the support program available for SMEs in the energy-intensive manufacturing industry. As part of this, in addition to support for the capital of the investments, support for operating costs will also be available. Based on what the Minister of Economic Development, Márton Nagy, said, the government will provide subsidies for the gas and energy bills of the last 3 months of the year corresponding to 50% of the cost increase compared to the same period of 2021.

FruitVeB welcomes the fact that the government is making efforts to ensure that the processing industry, which is the backbone of domestic employment, and in this context also food processors, can survive this extraordinary period and cope with the increase in energy costs. At the same time, we must draw attention to the fact that 80-90% of the energy consumption of the domestic fruit and vegetable processing industry occurs in the processing season between May and September. The storage processes and smaller productions of the period from October to May result in much lower energy consumption. they write. Based on the currently known rules, sector players can expect to receive the 50% subsidy for the insignificant part of their energy cost increase, because their consumption does not arise in the last quarter of the year. Based on the above, based on the exchange of information with the sector players after Saturday’s Government Info, FruitVeB’s position is that it is critical for vegetable and fruit processors that, within the framework of the subsidy program, instead of the last 3 months of the year, 25% of the annual cost increase should be the basis for calculating the subsidy . This can be true in all sectors where energy consumption is not uniform in time throughout the year. – We hope that until the publication of the detailed rules, there is still an opportunity for the government to take this aspect into account before promulgating the legislation. – concludes FruitVeb’s announcement.

FruitWeb