The most important challenges facing the food industry in the Carpathian Basin

(Photo: AM)

Márton Nobilis reminded that the food industry has always had a long tradition in Hungary. The coronavirus pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian war highlighted even more the need to be self-sufficient, and this requires improvements, increasing efficiency and efficiency of scale. That is why the government sees the food industry as a strategic partner, he added. The state secretary explained that HUF 750 billion in support will be available for the development of the food industry in the coming years, and applications are expected to start in the first quarter of 2024. In this connection, he pointed out that for more efficient production, developments promoting the increase in the ratio of exports and processed products are needed. In addition, you have to trust the bigger companies to create opportunities for the smaller ones as well – he added.

This is how the experts see it

Dávid Mezei, head of the agricultural relations and agricultural support center of the bank’s Agricultural and Food Business Branch, spoke about the need for a conscious development policy and conscious developments, for which MBH Bank’s Agricultural and Food Business Branch offers its professional knowledge in addition to expert help. Miklós Kerezsi, the president of the Hodler Group, said that regionality can be a particularly important element of the food industry and, with it, the development of agriculture. As he said, a kind of change of attitude and efficient companies are needed at the top of the product chains. He added that it is also worth strengthening regional cooperation because, for example, soil conditions and other production characteristics, consumer habits are similar, but at the same time there are strengths and breaking points that are only present in one region of the country. Gergely Giczi, deputy executive director of the Agricultural Marketing Center, added to the discussion that the markets must be supplied with food in quantity and quality. He pointed out that only 30-40 companies handle the majority of food exports in Hungary, which means that both the number of exporting companies and the target markets need to be expanded.

AM