The government is a strong ally of agriculture

(Photo: AM/Csaba Pelsőczy)

István Nagy said that the actors of the sector stood up well in difficult times: during the epidemic, in addition to the Russo-Ukrainian war and the failed Brussels sanctions in response, they produced the country’s bread, the message of which is that the agricultural and food industry is a strategic, national security level sector. He added: it shows the government’s commitment and determination that Hungary provides an unprecedented amount of 80 percent additional national funding for the resources of the EU budget cycle until 2027, which is three times more resources for developments than in the previous seven years. This type of support is only available in Hungary in the EU – the head of the ministry pointed out. At the same time, he warned the actors of the sector that they “need to know and want” to change, because “we are in the uncomfortable situation that it is not possible to farm as our fathers did”. New methods and technologies are needed to raise competitiveness to a much higher level and to increase added value, which has been and will be helped in the future by numerous laws, he added.

According to his list, they started the land for farmers program, because the agricultural land is in the best place with the farmers

They began to free the common, undivided lands that bound the farmers, and created the law on irrigation farming, which created the security of production. The legislation on the taxation of family farms serves to stabilize the income level of farmers, according to which HUF 600,000 must be paid to the state after HUF 80 million in sales, and family members are guaranteed health and retirement benefits, he explained. István Nagy indicated: the generational change will be supported with a flat-rate subsidy of between 40,000 and 100,000 euros, and the legislation on producer cooperation will ensure that the difference in size does not cause a disadvantage to smaller farms. This will mean security and a safety net for the producers, who can safely plan the future, because “there is a place for every crop, already at the time of sowing”, explained the head of the agricultural ministry.

István Nagy called the turning point how they can raise the competitiveness of Hungarian agriculture to a level much higher than the current one

From the basic raw material production level, it is necessary to get to the point where the income conditions and competitiveness of Hungarian agricultural workers are at the European level. He set as a priority goal that “by 2030, Hungarian agriculture can be among the top three economies in Europe in all its potential”, since “we have learned to produce, over the years the quantitative output of Hungarian agriculture has always been in the top three, now it is the turn of the how can we increase added value”. According to him, this is why the focus is on the development of the food industry and the processing industry, for which more than HUF 750 billion have been allocated. István Nagy mentioned the Food Industry Champion program, which individually takes into account the outstanding companies whose development will be supported step by step. These companies become champions with the responsibility of building a team: they have to build a circle of producers around them that can produce the raw material at a safe level year after year, he explained. According to the Minister of Agriculture, the results of the efforts are visible, and he assured his audience that they can always count on the Hungarian government.

Experts provide help and support

Zoltán Szilvássy, rector of the University of Debrecen (DE), which hosts the expo, offered the institution’s extensive network of domestic and international contacts to support the actors of the sector, Tibor Szólláth, vice-president of the National Chamber of Agrarian Economy (NAK), urged cooperation to resolve “the tensions that can be felt in the agricultural sector”. Lajos Kósa (Fidesz), the parliamentary representative of the region, referring to the former gray cattle drive to Western Europe, said that Debrecen has been one of the largest agricultural exporters for several centuries, and the future of the sector has been secured in the region. Mayor László Papp (Fidesz-KDNP) indicated: Debrecen is one of the strongest points of Hungarian agriculture, and innovation can ensure the further development of the region’s agriculture and food industry. István Jakab, president of the Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Unions and Farmers’ Cooperatives (MAGOSZ), vice-president of the Parliament, announced: Last year’s record for the “Bread of Hungarians” program – 15 million grains of wheat, which “stems from the soul of Hungarian farmers”, more than a thousand tons of wheat was collected to help the needy this year. Fair director László Vaszkó indicated that 280 exhibitors will present themselves at the expo, which runs from August 17 to 20, and in addition to professional meetings, animal shows and breeding animal demonstrations will also be held, but the most modern agricultural tools will also be lined up on the fairgrounds.

MTI