AM: more conscious management is the future of field crop production

(Photo: Pixabay)

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Zsolt Feldman explained in his presentation that Hungary’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan was adopted by the European Union on November 7, 2022. From the end of April to the beginning of June 2023, the first grants announced based on the new KAP Strategic Plan were applied for. Based on the experience of legislation and the application for subsidies – as in all EU member states – it became necessary to amend the KAP Strategic Plan, the adoption of which is expected by the end of December, beginning of January. Among the most significant elements of the amendments, the state secretary highlighted, among other things, the expansion of the practices that farmers can choose from the Agro-ecology Program (AÖP) on lawns and the transformation of the sanctioning system into lanes. In order to obtain the AÖP subsidy next year, lawn farmers can make several more environmentally favorable commitments than before, which will make it easier for them to participate in the program from next year. We managed to negotiate with the European Commission that, in the case of the AÖP grants applied for this year, instead of the 100 percent fulfillment obligation, partial fulfillment is also possible, with of course a proportionately reduced disbursable grant.

Based on the initial rules, so far even partial fulfillment would have resulted in 100 percent withdrawal of support

According to the announcement, Zsolt Feldman mentioned as a lesson learned from the first year of the new KAP that it is no longer possible to comply, not only with subsidies, but also with the changing natural and market environment. For example, in arable crop production, it is worthwhile to diversify the crop rotation much more, thereby supporting the security of the crop and harvest, as well as mitigating the profitability risks caused by unfavorable weather factors. In addition to the five main cultivated crops that are widely grown, i.e. wheat, corn, barley, sunflower, rapeseed, many farmers are starting to deal with the possibility of growing alternative field crops, be it soybeans, sorghum, millet, oilseeds, the various butterfly-flowered ones (red testicle, alfalfa), poppy, rye, triticale or field vegetable cultivation. Growing seeds for bee pastures, wild lands, green manure crops, and intermediate crops is also promising for many. He also touched on the fact that the Ministry of Agriculture recently published the 2024 rural development tender schedule, which is available at www.kormany.hu. The tenders to be announced next year will provide an opportunity for both small, medium and large farms to react to the economic and market changes of the past two years, to make their production more efficient or even to open up in the direction of standing on more than one foot. In addition to all of this, the professional preparation of the agri-environmental support program starting on January 1, 2025 has begun in order to be able to announce it in time, the announcement states.

MTI