Soy may play a great role

The three main challenges

According to Zoltán Bene, producers’ decisions are influenced by three main factors these days: extreme weather caused by climate change, market uncertainties and the demand for salable plants that promise a stable income. Of these, the importance of adapting to extreme weather conditions stands out, which is becoming more and more difficult for producers. The specialist emphasized that plant growers need solutions that provide a stable long-term income and better resistance to changing conditions.

Soy could be the solution

According to Zoltán Bene, soy can be the way out for plant growers. “For more than a decade, we have been working to ensure that soybean planting grows stably in Hungary,” said the specialist. In the European Union, more than 30 million tons of soybeans are needed every year, most of which is used in the feed industry. Currently, however, only 3 million tons are produced in the EU countries, so the demand for soy is almost unlimited, which provides an opportunity for domestic producers as well.

The advantages of soybean include high heat tolerance, which significantly exceeds the heat tolerance level of sunflower and corn. This is particularly important from the point of view of warming caused by climate change, which is increasingly causing damage to traditional crop production. Zoltán Bene highlighted that despite the extremely dry weather in 2022, soybean growers were still able to make a profit, while corn and sunflower growers suffered significant losses.