Hungarian apples are safe and of high quality

Regarding the report prepared by the “Pesticide Action Network Europe” (PAN Europe) published on the website of the Hungarian Association of Nature Conservation (MTVSZ) on January 29, 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture agrees with the position of the FruitVeB Hungarian Vegetable and Fruit Interprofessional Organization and Product Council. The document contains exaggerated and unfounded statements regarding apples that lack objectivity, professionalism and scientific thoroughness, and are also capable of damaging the good reputation of domestic products.

The report does not contain information on the exact methodology of sampling, and it is also unclear whether the samples from Hungarian supermarkets actually represent apples grown in Hungary or of foreign origin. It is also objectionable that only 5 of the 59 samples tested came from Hungary, which corresponds to approximately 5-10 kilograms of apples, while the annual production of Hungarian table apples is approximately 100 million kilograms. Drawing conclusions about the entire domestic apple production based on such a small amount of samples is professionally unfounded and irresponsible. The disproportionate nature of the sampling itself calls into question the objectivity and credibility of the study, so the formulation of fear-inducing and manipulative statements about Hungarian apples is particularly unacceptable.

Apples are the fruit offered in the largest quantities in trade and consumed regularly by consumers throughout the year. The use of pesticides is essential for the production of the appropriate quantity and quality – in accordance with market and consumer expectations. In the European Union, including Hungary, all approved pesticides have a maximum residue limit (MRL), below which consumption does not pose a risk to health.

The National Food Chain Safety Authority (Nébih) checks the pesticide residue content of apples with an exceptionally high number of samples as part of its annual monitoring plan, and also regularly carries out technological inspections at producers. Based on the results of the Nébih inspection, no apple samples containing pesticide residues above the limit have occurred in the past three years, so the products placed on the market can be safely consumed. The reports of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the past three years also do not contain objectionable pesticide residues in apples.

After all this, to suggest that national and EU authorities do not comply with the legislation, or to directly claim that they are “initiating the weakening of health protection”, calls into question the credibility of the entire European Union and state legal and institutional system and undermines trust in it. This communication is an extremely dangerous direction for the lay public on the subject.

The use of plant protection technologies is regulated by strict legal regulations, including food safety withdrawal periods and permitted residue levels, which all producers are required to comply with. The authority always sanctions the production and marketing of plant products containing pesticide residues or toxic substances exceeding the permitted limit, both from a food safety and plant protection perspective. The Ministry of Agriculture continues to stand firmly by Hungarian producers and defends the good reputation of domestic apples and the safety of consumers. Hungarian foods are safe and of high quality. The Minister encourages everyone to boldly consume Hungarian apples, because in this way we support not only the livelihood of farmers, but also the national economy.